From the moment it was announced, it was clear that UFC 202 would be a very successful card. Headlined by a welterweight rematch between Stockton slugger Nate Diaz and Irish superstar Conor McGregor, it immediately had all the makings of a top-selling UFC pay-per-view.

As it turns out, however, the card might actually have been the highest-selling pay-per-view in UFC history.

As Dave Meltzer, an aficionado on such things, explains in a recent article on MMAFighting.com:

“Estimates indicate that UFC 202, the Aug. 20 show headlined by Conor McGregor’s decision win over Nate Diaz, will be the most successful non-boxing pay-per-view event in the history of the genre.”

“Current estimates have the show doing 1.65 million buys on pay-per-view, putting it slightly ahead of UFC 196, the first McGregor vs. Diaz fight, which was estimated at 1.6 million. Both would be ahead of the prior record set at UFC 100 for the second Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir fight.”

Meltzer also added that, while the UFC does not make it’s pay-per-view sales numbers public, these estimates are in line with Dana White’s previous assertion that UFC 202 could be the biggest card in the company’s history.

“The UFC does not usually release pay-per-view numbers,” Meltzer said. “Dana White did say after the event that it was trending to be the biggest show ever.”

Love him or hate him, these numbers are irrefutable proof of Conor McGregor’s incredible popularity. That popularity, when paired with the ever-brightening star of Nate Diaz, is the recipe for a seriously successful PPV. UFC 196, which was highlighted by the pair’s first fight, suggested this. UFC 202 proved it outright. Luckily, the pair were paid accordingly for their role in these ultra-successful events.

How do you think a third fight between McGregor and Diaz would do in terms of pay-per-view sales? Would it break the new record set by UFC 202? Sound off, PENN nation!