While we will never know the truth of the matter, the lone source for UFC pay-per-view figures has and always will be, Mr. Dave Meltzer.

When people talk of buys, stating this PPV did this amount and this one did that, it is all based on his industry intelligence. The UFC never confirms figures, nor do the broadcasters, however, Meltzer’s time in the PPV business has gone on way before the UFC existed and therefore his estimates and contacts are widely considered as valid and on point.

With that being said, here is what he said via his newsletter about UFC 154: GSP vs. Condit:

Preliminary estimates for UFC 154 were 680,000 to 700,000 buys, with huge numbers in Canada, really strong in places like Saskatoon and Edmonton. It’s in line or just below the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans numbers from earlier this year, so probably third for the year overall. It’s lower than what GSP has been doing the last few years, but overall business is down from 2010 and Carlos Condit isn’t in the league with Dan Hardy and Josh Koscheck when it came to building a grudge and marketing a fight, not that he did badly. Plus, the pub wasn’t there. With Hardy, his Countdown shows on Spike were a lot bigger deal. With Koscheck, you had the entire season of TUF building the fight.