The upcoming UFC 297 event in Toronto has made history before even getting underway.
With the event taking place on Saturday, tickets have been selling in quick fashion. This is the first time the UFC has hosted an event in Toronto in over five years, resulting in plenty of demand.
“What’s up, Toronto? It’s good to be back here! Let me start this off by thanking you,” UFC President Dana White said at today’s introductory press conference. “First of all, gate [made] US$7.6 million. 18,100 [seats] sold out. Highest-grossing arena gate in history, and the highest gate ever for Canada at an arena. Thank you!”
The previous high, as per Jed I. Goodman, was UFC 140 in 2011, which brought in US$3.9 million. UFC 297 will also be one of the biggest arena attendances of all time in Canada, with UFC 231 remaining in the top spot with 19,039 in the audience.
Would be the highest announced gate for a UFC event at the arena. Previous high was UFC 140, $3.9M (when it was called Air Canada Centre).
Highest announced attendance for a UFC event at the arena was UFC 231: 19,039.#UFC297 https://t.co/0arBMT2HMc
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) January 18, 2024
This event has garnered plenty of media attention already, though not for positive reasons. Yesterday, Sean Strickland, who will fight Driscus Du Plessis in the main event, went on a homophobic tirade while also taking aim at supporters of Justin Trudeau. Only days prior, he sent Du Plessis a private message on Instagram where he threatened to stab him.
Toronto will mark the second Canadian city to host UFC recently, as Vancouver held UFC 289 this summer. A lightweight bout between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush took place as the co-main event, with Oliveira winning the fight via TKO.
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