The impressive viewership numbers for UFC Freedom 250 have sparked discussions across the MMA world. The historic event, which took place at the White House, reportedly averaged 8.2 million viewers across the United States and Latin America. According to Paramount+, more than 17 million people watched at least part of the event, making it one of the most-watched combat sports shows in recent years. The success of the card has drawn praise from several figures within the industry, including Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian.
Bidarian Highlights Positive Impact
Bidarian, who previously served as UFC’s Chief Financial Officer, viewed the strong numbers as a positive sign for the growth of mixed martial arts. Despite MVP becoming a competitor to the UFC in recent years, he congratulated the promotion for delivering a major event. He also compared the audience figures to MVP’s own Netflix MMA event and suggested that Conor McGregor could generate even bigger numbers when he returns to the Octagon later this year at UFC 329.
Nakisa Bidarian Believes Conor McGregor Could Earn at Least $60 Million
Nakisa Bidarian praised UFC Freedom 250 and said the event was beneficial for everyone involved in the sport. He noted that the UFC had a unique advantage by hosting the event at the White House and benefiting from the attention generated by President Donald Trump. At the same time, he highlighted that MVP’s biggest MMA event on Netflix also performed strongly.
According to Bidarian, both promotions should be pleased with their achievements. He stated that the success of UFC Freedom 250 helps fighters, fans, and the sport as a whole. He also described the UFC as the leading brand in MMA and said MVP’s ability to reach similar audience levels for its biggest event was an encouraging sign. Rather than focusing on which promotion attracted more viewers, he emphasized that both organizations achieved important milestones.
Bidarian also turned his attention to Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return. The Irish superstar is scheduled to face Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329 after spending five years away from active competition. Bidarian predicted that McGregor could attract viewership numbers equal to or greater than UFC Freedom 250.
He suggested that if McGregor manages to generate that level of interest, the former two-division champion should receive a payout of at least $60 million. Bidarian also referenced expectations that the event could produce a gate revenue of around $30 million.
Meanwhile, McGregor has already started building excitement for the fight. During a promotional appearance linked to UFC Freedom 250, he confidently dismissed Holloway’s chances. McGregor claimed that his opponent would struggle to land meaningful strikes and predicted he would leave the contest without taking significant damage.
