Dana White Sees 25% Increase in PPV Buys at the Cost of Leon Edwards’ Dad as Colby Covington’s Shameful Actions Has ‘Fascinating’ Consequences at UFC 296

The UFC just wrapped up their final pay-per-view of 2023 and the UFC CEO made an interesting revelation. During the pre-fight press conference, Colby Covington made some distasteful comments about Leon Edwards‘s father, which many people thought was unnecessary. However, Dana White mentioned that the controversial comments led to a considerable growth in the PPV buys for UFC 296.

UFC 296 showcased some of the great performances from the fighters on the card. But it was Colby Covington’s comments on Leon Edwards that got people interested to tune in to watch the final PPV of the year, according to Dana White. Let’s see what he had to say.

Dana White claims UFC 296 PPV buys increased due to Colby Covington’s comments

The UFC CEO addressed the media at the post-fight press conference and made some stunning revelations about the PPV buys of UFC 296. He claimed that Colby Covington’s comments about Leon Edwards’ late father led the PPV buys to rise to 25 percent in sales. Dana White said, “After that press conference or during in the middle or whatever, pay-per-view shot up 25 percent.”

Furthermore, the 54-year-old also mentioned that the increase in PPV buys was not based on how many views the press conference garnered on social media platforms like YouTube. Rather, the UFC’s analytical team was actively monitoring the PPV buys while the event was still going on. “And it wasn’t like our analytical team was basing it off YouTube views. They were basing it off actual pre-buys while the press conference was going on and ended,” Dana White further stated.

Read More: “I Knew What He Was Involved In” – Chilling Moments Just Before Father’s Murder and Mother’s Desperate Phone Call, Leon Edwards Once Confessed It All to Joe Rogan

He also mentioned that the increase in sales did not happen just on ESPN, but also in the global market. It impressed the UFC’s head honcho. “25 percent, globally too. Not just on ESPN. Globally up 25 percent, which is fascinating. Absolutely fascinating,” Dana White added. Nevertheless, he does not support such trash talk that involves speaking badly about a fighter’s family members.

The UFC CEO doesn’t like fighters taking names of family members

Dan White also made his opinion on Colby Covington’s comments clear, asserting that these kinds of things happen often in the combat sports world. However, he is not a fan of the fighters’ families getting dragged into trash talk. White said, “[I don’t like] when you start going after family. Whether it’s the kids, the wives, the parents, or whatever, it’s just such a nasty thing to do.”

Dana White further revealed that he had warned Leon Edwards and his team about getting into a brawl after the main event. He was willing to issue a fine to the British fighter if he had tried to get into an altercation after the PPV was over. However, things did not take an ugly turn, and both fighters in good spirits left the Octagon as the event wrapped up.

Dana White’s revelation about the PPV buys reveals that fiery and controversial moments among fighters are a subject of intrigue for many MMA fans. Nonetheless, an impressive 2023 in terms of revenue, the 25 percent increase in sales was another feather in the UFC CEO’s cap.

Now we will have to wait and see what awaits in 2024 for the UFC fans. Keep an eye on this space to stay updated.

Watch This Story: Conor McGregor’s Insane 2022: Insane Bulk Up, ‘NSFW’ Yacht Video, Joe Rogan Beef and More