McGregor’s UFC return pulls 15.9 million viewers on Paramount+
Paramount+ said UFC 329 drew 15.9 million viewers across the U.S. and Latin America as Conor McGregor’s comeback ended in a 69-second TKO loss.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
Conor McGregor’s return lasted just 69 seconds, yet UFC 329 still delivered a streaming heavyweight for Paramount+.
Paramount+ said Thursday, using Nielsen and Adobe Analytics data, that UFC 329 reached 15.9 million combined viewers in the United States and Latin America. The company said 14.3 million of those viewers were in the U.S.
The McGregor vs. Max Holloway card also set a Paramount+ mark for the most peak concurrent streams for a live event available exclusively on the service, according to Paramount+ figures reported by CBS Sports.
A short fight, a big crowd
The main event did not have time to build in the cage. McGregor’s long-awaited comeback was cut off early when a leg injury stopped the bout after 69 seconds, with Holloway awarded a first-round TKO victory.
That abrupt ending made the audience number more notable. Long main events often give late-arriving viewers more time to jump in for the headline fight, CBS Sports noted, but UFC 329 hit its streaming mark despite the quick finish.
Paramount+ said UFC 329 peaked at 8.3 million concurrent streams. That topped UFC Freedom 250, which reached 7.9 million peak concurrent streams, according to the same reported data.
UFC Freedom 250 had been the promotion’s previous high-profile streaming success in June. UFC 329, powered by McGregor’s first fight in more than five years, moved ahead of it on Paramount+’s live-event list.
McGregor’s comeback ends in another injury
McGregor entered UFC 329 after a long absence from the Octagon. CBS Sports reported that he had been out for five years after breaking his left leg in a fight with Dustin Poirier.
His return came against Holloway, a former opponent he defeated in 2013. This time, Holloway left with the official win after McGregor’s right leg was compromised in the opening round, according to the fight result reported by CBS Sports.
McGregor has since asked for the loss to be changed to a no contest. CBS Sports reported that effort is unlikely to succeed.
The event also added to UFC’s growing footprint on Paramount+. According to the streaming rankings cited by CBS Sports, UFC events now account for six of the top 10 peak concurrent events on the platform.
UFC 329 ranks second on that list, while UFC Freedom 250 sits third. Other UFC cards in the top 10 include UFC 324 at No. 4, UFC 328 at No. 5, UFC 326 at No. 8 and UFC 325 at No. 9.
For McGregor, the night brought another injury-shortened chapter. For Paramount+ and UFC, the numbers showed that his name still pulled a crowd across two major regions.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.