UFC 217 Gets Rave Reviews At MSG Behind Georges St-Pierre's Return

UFC 217 at MSG last night "delivered action aplenty, a string of upsets, three titles changing hands and laid foundations for some future intrigue" while being "backed up by strong attendance" and PPV numbers. Fighter Georges St-Pierre returned to the octagon after four years and "took the middleweight title" from Michael Bisping in a "fine scrap on an evening filled with them" (USATODAY.com, 11/5). The MSG crowd went "crazy and for good reason," as UFC 217 "somehow surpassed" last year's UFC 205. While Conor McGregor’s win over Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title in UFC 205 was "one of the greatest moments in UFC history, UFC 217 will be remembered as one of the best cards ever." Three titles were contested, and all three "changed hands" (N.Y. POST, 11/5). 

UFC President Dana White last week said that UFC 217 was "expected to be the No. 3 live gate for a sporting event" at MSG. UFC 205 "set the record" at $17.7M, besting the $13.5M from the Evander Holyfield-Lennox Lewis fight in '99 (NEWSDAY, 11/5).