UFC 269 marked the last PPV event of the year 2021, and it was nothing less than spectacular. 18,471 fans gathered inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to witness Charles Oliveira take on Dustin Poirier for the UFC’s lightweight championship. 18,471 fans records for the 6th highest attendance announced at T-Mobile Arena. What’s more interesting, UFC 269 pulled in a gate of $8 million, making it the biggest non-Conor event at T-Mobile Arena. Needless to say, a lot of records were broken tonight.
Julianna Pena creates the biggest upset in UFC history at UFC 269
Julianna Pena shocked the world as she submitted Amanda Nunes in the second round of the co-main event of the evening to become the new UFC’s bantamweight champion of the world. In the process, she also snapped Nunes of her 7-year undefeated streak, which saw the Lioness climb the ranks and become the GWOAT of women’s mixed martial arts.
While it certainly goes without saying that the loss doesn’t take away the legacy that Nunes has cemented over the years, it must be said her rivalry with Julianna Pena will go down in history as one of the most exciting rivalries in women mixed martial arts.
Dana says gate was $8M, biggest non-Conor McGregor event at T-Mobile.
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) December 12, 2021
In the main event of the evening, despite the staggering odds put against Charles Oliveira, Do Bronx upset Dustin Poirier with a third-round submission win to defend his UFC lightweight championship. In what was a huge first round for Poirier, who was able to knock Oliveira down, the Brazilian submission ace did what he does best in the second round, as he dominated the former interim lightweight champion in the second round, and followed it up in the third round to pick up the submission win with a rear-naked choke.
Now, Charles Oliveira ties with Donald Cerrone for most Performance of the Night bonuses in the UFC, and also holds the record for the most number of finishes and wins by submission inside the Octagon. It goes without saying, that Oliveira has now cemented himself as arguably one of the greatest lightweight of all time, and the win over Poirier only solidifies his legacy in the world of mixed martial arts.
