The UFC outdid one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time when they went down under back in 2023.
The promotion toured Perth for UFC 284, which featured Australian UFC legend Alexander Volkanovski competing in the main event.
The UFC Featherweight champion challenged Lightweight belt holder Islam Makhachev in a title fight, aiming to become the fourth man to become champion of two divisions at the same time.
This super fight was huge and took the Australian public by storm. It was so popular that they outdrew the Rolling Stones’ Australian record, which had stood for nearly a decade.
- READ MORE – Mark Hunt flattened a UFC legend in Australia to set up the Brock Lesnar fight that saved UFC 200 card
UFC 284 broke the Rolling Stones’ record for the largest indoor gate in Australian history
The historic UFC 284 event didn’t just feature a huge champion vs. champion bout; it also broke records set by one of the most iconic bands in history.
The event drew over $4 million (USD) in total gate receipts, thanks to the record-setting 14,124 fans in attendance.
This broke the record for the highest indoor gate in Australian history and for the highest crowd attendance in the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, as revealed by Sports Illustrated after the event.
This shattered the record previously held by the Rolling Stones for nearly a decade, which they achieved for their show at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena in 2014.
The promotion returns to that same arena for UFC Perth, with hopes of bettering their record and drawing an even bigger crowd than before.
However, it seems impossible to break the Australian gate record in that arena, as they smashed it once again just a year later.
UFC broke it again with an even bigger gate at UFC 312
After breaking the record in Perth, Dana White and the UFC got more satisfaction when they drew an even bigger crowd and gate for their return to the country at UFC 312.
While UFC 127 drew a slightly larger crowd in Sydney, UFC 284 outdrew the event by $500,000, owning the Aussie record until Dricus du Plessis vs Sean Strickland II came to town.
| UFC Event | City / Venue | Date | Attendance | Gate drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC 312: du Plessis vs Strickland 2 | Sydney (Qudos Bank Arena) | Feb 2025 | 18,537 | $7,687,000 |
| UFC 127: Penn vs Fitch | Sydney (Acer Arena) | Feb 2011 | 18,186 | $3,500,000 |
| UFC 293: Adesanya vs Strickland | Sydney (Qudos Bank Arena) | Sept 2023 | 18,168 | $6,860,000 |
| UFC 234: Adesanya vs Silva | Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena) | Feb 2019 | 15,238 | $2,470,088 |
| UFC 305: du Plessis vs Adesanya | Perth (RAC Arena) | Aug 2024 | 14,152 | $5,477,097 |
| UFC 284: Makhachev vs Volkanovski | Perth (RAC Arena) | Feb 2023 | 14,124 | $4,086,687 |
| UFC on FX 2: Alves vs Kampmann | Sydney (Qudos Bank Arena) | Mar 2012 | 14,537 | $2,200,000 |
| UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Bigfoot | Brisbane (Brisbane Entertainment Centre) | Dec 2013 | 11,393 | $1,785,000 |
| UFC 221: Romero vs Rockhold | Perth (Perth Arena) | Feb 2018 | 12,437 | $2,810,520 |
| UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs Rockhold | Sydney (Allphones Arena) | Nov 2014 | 9,904 | $1,050,000 |
| UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Miocic | Adelaide (Adelaide Entertainment Centre) | May 2015 | 7,984 | $833,810 |
The event was headlined by the South African UFC star, who at the time held the Middleweight world title.
His rematch against Sean Strickland, the same man he won the belt off, was hugely anticipated, and 18,537 fans flocked to the Qudos Bank Arena to see the fight.
Du Plessis retained his title, but it was the UFC who were the real winners. They drew more than $7 million to shatter their own record just two years after beating out the Rolling Stones, with a new indoor attendance record to add to their success in Australia.