UFC 170 Gate and Attendance: 10,217 Spectators Witness Rousey’s First TKO Win

Heading into Saturday night’s UFC 170: Rousey vs. McMann at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, UFC president Dana White said that the early numbers looked good.

Well they were, and those numbers then panned out into a strong final return at the box office, according to the figures released at the UFC 170 post-fight press conference.

10,217 spectators filled the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas to witness Ronda Rousey retain her women’s bantamweight title generating $1,558,870 in gate revenue.

Rousey, an Olympic medalist in Judo, defended her belt against Olympic medalist in wrestling Sara McMann in the card’s main event.  McMann tested Rousey’s chin in the opening moments, but Rousey inflicted damage from the clinch position.  The champion had McMann against the cage and delivered a knee to the body that crumbled the challenger.  It was the first time in Rousey’s career that she didn’t win by her signature armbar.

The event also featured undefeated Daniel Cormier’s light heavyweight debut.  Cormier faced Patrick Cummins in the co-main event.  Cormier was originally expected to face former champion Rashad Evans, but Evans was forced off the card with a knee injury ten days before the event.  Cummins filled in for Evans on short notice.

The fight became a grudge match when Cummins allegedly broke Cormier in training while Cormier prepared to participate in the 2004 Olympic games.  It took Cormier a 1:19 to finish his former wrestling training partner by technical knockout.

Rory MacDonald picked Demian Maia apart with his striking to earn a unanimous decision in welterweight action.  Mike Pyle and Stephen Thompson logged technical knockout wins in other main card action.

Alexis Davis bolstered her efforts to get a title shot in the women’s bantamweight division by defeating Jessica Eye on the preliminary card.