Conor McGregor’s shock loss at UFC 257 to Dustin Poirier reportedly sold a staggering 1.6 million pay-per-view buys.

McGregor suffered a devastating loss to Poirier at ‘Fight Island’ last week, courtesy of a second-round KO from the ‘Diamond’ in Abu Dhabi.

The bout would mark McGregor’s latest comeback after retiring a third time after seeing off ‘Cowboy’ Donald Cerrone in January 2020.

The Irishman remains in no doubt that, despite his recent records in combat, he is still the sport’s biggest draw. The National News, via Sport Business Journal claim that UFC 257 recorded 1.6 million buys, 1.2m in the United States and 400,000 internationally.

That makes McGregor’s latest escapade into the Octagon on of the most lucrative yet for the company – making it their third-most successful PPV ever.

Dana White will be revelling in the fact that he has already racked in more numbers in January alone, than he did in any event that was held by his promotion last year.

That being said, White’s hopes of orchestrating a blockbuster rematch between McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov have since been panned thanks to McGregor losing last weekend.

White had hoped to generate a record-setting 3m buys for what would have been a much anticipated and highly sought-after event.

Khabib and McGregor smashed records the last time the pair did business together, with their 2018 fight selling 2.4m PPV’s.

McGregor does however have the claim of featuring in every fight occupying a top-three slot, with his rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202 pulling 1.65m buys at the box-office.

The Top-10 PPV buys in UFC history:

1: UFC 229 – Khabib vs McGregor (2018) (2.4m)

2: UFC 202 – Diaz vs McGregor 2 (2016) (1.65m)

3: UFC 257 – McGregor vs Poirier 2 (2021) (1.6m)

4: UFC 100 – Lesnar vs Frank Mir 2 (2009) (1.6m)

5: UFC 196 McGregor vs Diaz (2016) (1.5m)

6: UFC 194 Aldo vs McGregor (2015) (1.4m)

7: UFC 251 – Usman vs Masvidal (2020) (1.3m)

8: UFC 205 – Alverez vs McGregor (2016) (1.3m)

9: UFC 200 – Tate vs Nunes (2016) (1.2m)

10: UFC 116 – Lesnar vs Carwin (2010) (1.16m)

His 2021 clash against Poirier is now tied at No.3 with Brock Lesnar's win over Frank Mir at UFC 100.

McGregor looks to serve a spell on the side-lines, this time due to a medical suspension, Poirier, meanwhile has received the standard seven days mandatory rest.

McGregor may have to wait until July to have the chance to crack the top-ten again.