The UFC made its long-awaited return to Montreal after nearly a decade with UFC 315, but it seems this venture might be Dana White’s last trip to the ‘Great White North’ for a while. In the main event, Belal Muhammad was overwhelmed by Jack Della Maddalena, losing his welterweight title in stunning fashion. While the Palestinian-American champ’s defeat opened the floodgates for new opportunities, there was an alarming financial blow that the promotion had taken.

Official gate numbers and attendance figures paint a grim picture, suggesting that the company’s latest Canadian endeavor was far from a success. Already battered, UFC 315 suffered further setbacks when several fights were scrapped, including the highly anticipated bout between Joel Alvarez and Benoit Saint Denis. It was such a chaotic endeavor that Damon Martin took to his X handle to ascertain that the UFC 315 appeared to be going unsold, as only 60% of the seats were booked just a week before the event.

The UFC has usually found immense success in Montreal, with its maiden event being the stage for Georges St-Pierre getting back his 170-pound belt from Matt Serra at UFC 83. And since then, Canada has seen record-breaking events such as UFC 129 that garnered in excess of 12 million dollars in live gate. However, the tides may be turning in 2025.

It appears that Martin’s assessment was accurate. The UFC has experienced a significant drop in gate revenue. At the post-fight presser, UFC executive Dave Shaw announced UFC 315’s live gate and attendance data. This figure sat at a meagre $6,003,340 with an attendance of 19,786. In comparison, UFC 314 in Miami generated an $11 million gate with an attendance of just 18,287. The comparative data was then posted by Jed I. Goodman on X, and it revealed that UFC 315’s gate was among the lowest for PPV events in 2025.

The absence of big Canadian stars, coupled with last-minute fight changes, turned out to be a disaster for the promotion, prompting the company to reflect on the situation. While it’s easy to blame high ticket prices, with even entry-level seats costing nearly $300 CAD (roughly $215), the issue runs deeper. The lack of iconic and big-time players like Georges St-Pierre has undoubtedly hindered the UFC’s efforts in Canada.

UFC 315’s gate might be a disaster for the promotion, but there’s a bigger problem looming on the horizon—one that has yet to be properly addressed. What is it, you ask? It’s the MMA recession. According to Ariel Helwani, the entire sport is currently facing a downturn. “MMA right now is in a recession. MMA is in a really tough spot. There is no number two. I mean, Lord knows there’s no number three—certainly not here in North America.”

We’re already halfway through May, and the UFC has yet to announce a single blockbuster fight for what is arguably their biggest card of the year. Notably, Hunter Campbell was recently in Dagestan, reportedly negotiating terms with Islam Makhachev—but nothing has been confirmed yet. So, is MMA really in recession? Chael Sonnen would beg to differ.

Chael Sonnen rips apart the ‘MMA Recession’ debate

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen outright rejected claims that either the UFC or the sport is going through a recession. He said, “Eddie Hearn and Ariel Helwani had a wildly dishonest conversation, and I don’t know why. I don’t know what purpose it served.” He followed with a clearer accusation: “So you have two guys, neither of which are accurate, supporting one another’s claim.”

Point out the real-time data of the regional shows like the UFC Iowa card, Sonnen targeted Helwani, “Sold out in Iowa. An unusual market. 14,000 seats. The same as is held at T-Mobile.” ‘The American Gangster’ has toned down his attacks, stating that he believes both Eddie and Helwani, but thinks neither of them has actually examined the real-time data available on the internet. “What would be the point of pretending that MMA is down when all of the data and all of the numbers that we have,” Sonnen said before stopping himself.

‘The Bad Guy’ might have launched a brutal takedown on Ariel Helwani, but after the UFC 315 setback, the UFC should consider adjusting their game plan—at least temporarily—before things start turning against them. Given that, what are your thoughts on the hubbub? State your opinion in the comments below.