When UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey makes her Australian debut on November 15, she aims to fill Etihad Stadium with up to 70,000 screaming fans.
The 28-year-old submission queen has the chance to shatter previous records set at the Docklands-based arena when she defends her 135-pound (62-kilogram) championship against 18-time world boxing champion Holly Holm.
A 2013 State of Origin clash between New South Wales and Queensland currently holds the record for the highest attended sporting event at Etihad Stadium with 56,021.
The massive venue was packed for the rugby match, but a UFC event requires significantly less floor space. As a result, the building’s maximum capacity is estimated to be increased by 15,000 to 70,000.
“We’re going to beat that attendance record,” a confident Rousey said during the UFC 193 pre-fight press conference at Etihad Stadium this past September.
“I really believe that the Aussies are the one people in the whole world that appreciate a fight well enough to be able to make history and break that record.”
The UFC’s director of operations for Australia, Canada and New Zealand, Tom Wright, played an integral role in getting the cage ban in Victoria overturned, which had prevented the promotion from visiting The Garden State for the past five years.
Up until March, mixed martial arts bouts were legal in the state, but could only be contested inside a roped boxing ring, and not a purpose-built cage, such as the UFC’s Octagon.
“We got offers to come to Victoria and present fights in a ring,” Wright told The Roar. “But we would never do that. We will only let our fighters compete in a safe environment, not a dangerous boxing ring.”
The Daniel Andrews-led Victorian government gave the green light to allow caged combat sports after they regained power earlier this year, opening the door for the historic fight card at Etihad Stadium.
The event was initially pencilled in to be headlined by a thrilling UFC welterweight championship bout between American action fighters Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit, but an injury to Lawler postponed the highly anticipated contest.
Stepping in as a replacement was Rousey, who agreed to defend her title for a seventh time against Holm, a fellow unbeaten fighter who is mentored by legendary trainer of champions Greg Jackson.
Wright is hesitant to predict a sell-out crowd of 70,000 at Etihad Stadium, but agrees that if they break any records it will be largely due to Rousey’s crossover superstardom.
“She is truly transformational. She is a remarkable athlete, and a remarkable individual. She has a tireless work ethic, and she’s completely committed,” he explained.
“She really pulls in so many demographics. Male or female, young or old, athlete or non-athlete, and fight fan or non-fight fan. Fighters like (Rousey) don’t come around often, so it’s remarkable for her to be in this role while we’re trying to introduce this sport to as many people within Australia who don’t understand it and haven’t taken the time to find out about it.”
Anticipation is high in Melbourne for Rousey’s Victorian debut, but fans have already figured out that a seat in the stands to watch the armbar queen won’t be cheap.
A spot in the nosebleeds is selling for $106, while the floor seats will set you back a whopping $468. If you’re really looking to go all out, the UFC are also offering VIP packages for $2308, and sky boxes will go for as much as $18,000.
Despite the expensive price tag, UFC officials told The Roar that tickets have been selling like hot cakes.
Seasoned mixed martial arts journalist Dave Meltzer added that 45,000-50,000 tickets have already been purchased, with over a fortnight to go until the showcase event.
The company’s personal best attendance record currently stands at 55,724 for Georges St-Pierre versus Jake Shields at UFC 129 inside Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
Melbourne’s event is already nipping on the heels of that benchmark, but the jury is still out on whether or not they can attract 70,000 people to the city of Melbourne for a prize fight.
Even the biggest Australian boxing draws have struggled to fill arenas in the country’s sporting capital. Controversy magnet Anthony Mundine, who fights just days before the UFC event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, is only expected to bring in a few thousand supporters when he steps between the ropes to face Charles Hatley.
The building is set up to accommodate 6,500 fans for the Wednesday night boxing scrap, which is the status quo for major fights in Australia.
Now the UFC are rolling into town and looking to sell tens of thousands of tickets, with the cheapest selling for over a hundred bucks a pop.
The company have done incredibly well in their other excursions Down Under, with as many as 18,186 tickets sold for a single event, but UFC 193 is by far their most ambitious trip to Australia yet.
And at this stage, it’s hard to imagine the event being anything less than a runaway success. The gate is likely to exceed $10 million, and Rousey’s rock-star level of popularity alone will sell a respectable amount of pay-per-views.
The landmark event will be remembered as the most impactful combat sports event to take place on Australian soil, and will smash a record or two, but don’t expect a sell-out crowd at Etihad Stadium.
Rousey’s name and face on posters goes a long way, but a stronger supporting cast would be required to bring 70,000 or greater to the dance.
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