NEWARK, NJ – Pictured: UFC 288 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on May 6, 2023.
UFC 288, headlined by Aljamain Sterling versus Henry Cejudo, set a Prudential Center record for a live sporting event gate, with attendance of 17,559 and a gate total of $5,182,210.36, according to UFC President Dana White.
White and the UFC last visited Newark, New Jersey, in August of 2019 for UFC on ESPN 5 when Colby Covington set a then-striking output record against former champion Robbie Lawler over their five-round main event—the attendance of 10,427 drew a live gate of $687,778.
These figures translate to a 653.6% increase in the live gate for White and the company. For context, the term “total gate” is used in the sporting event industry to describe total revenue generated from ticket sales; however, it may also include income from sources other than ticket sales, such as merchandise and concessions.
Aljamain Sterling Sets Title Defense Record At UFC 288
NEWARK, NJ – Pictured: Aljamain Sterling makes his way out toward the Octagon at UFC 288 in Newark … [+]
Not only did Dana White and the UFC set a record for the total live gate at the Prudential Center in Newark, but Sterling set a record for the most bantamweight title defenses. Sterling’s win over Henry Cejudo via split decision is his third title defense.
His victory set a record for successful title defenses by a bantamweight in a single title reign. Sterling and Sean O’Malley exchanged words following the bout, and Dana White stated the two are targeted to meet in the Octagon at UFC 292 in August.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianroberts/2023/05/08/ufc-breaks-live-gate-record-6536-increase-at-prudential-center-vs-2019/