The UFC didn't exactly have the marquee year it has in the past, but some new names emerged as top draws.
With Ronda Rousey and GSP long gone, and Conor McGregor not fighting, the company had to rely on new star power. Based on their Youtube numbers, that happened in the form of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jorge Masvidal, and a returning Nate Diaz.
UFC's Youtube primarily posts Octagon interviews from integral fights from their shows, opting to not run highlights of PPV events they're still trying to sell. The interviews took up 12 of the top 15 spots on their Youtube in 2019, which you can see below.
- Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dustin Poirier UFC 242 Octagon interviews (11.3M)
- Nate Diaz UFC 241 Octagon interview (4.4M)
- Israel Adesanya, Anderson Silva UFC 234 Octagon interviews (3.9M)
- Jorge Masvidal UFC 239 Octagon interview (3.5M)
- Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz UFC 244 Octagon Interview (2.8M)
- Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker UFC 243 Octagon interviews (2.7M)
- Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier UFC 241 Octagon interviews
- Jon Jones, Thiago Santos UFC 239 Octagon interviews (2.5M)
- Henry Cejudo, TJ Dillashaw UFC Brooklyn Octagon interviews (2.4M)
- UFC 239 media day faceoffs (Askren vs. Masvidal thumbnail) (2.4M)
- Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway UFC 236 Octagon interviews (2M)
- UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier Post Fight Presser highlights (1.9M)
- Jon Jones, Anthony Smith UFC 245 Octagon interviews (1.8m)
- Francis Ngannou, Cain Velasquez Octagon interviews (1.7M)
- Inside the Octagon: Khabib vs. Poirier preview (1.7M)
Note that this doesn't include classic fights, top 5 moments or the like. That list featured appearances by Nurmagomedov, Amanda Nunes, Anderson Silva, and classic Ken Shamrock vs. Royce Gracie, and Shultz vs. Goodrige fights. There were documentaries featuring the formation of the UFC, Chuck Liddell that did well too, as well as the UFC 1 event.
One could also argue that Amanda Nunes' UFC 232 Octagon interview should be included in this list, landing at 2.29M views. It happened in the wee hours of December 29, 2018, not giving it much time to resonate that year.
However, much of UFC's actual, in-cage highlights are posted on the ESPN MMA channel, even then, not many cracked the top ten. Instead, Jack Swagger -- a new AEW signing -- ended up having the top viewed highlight video in-cage of any MMA fight on the channel last year.
- Best of UFC 244: Khabib vs. Diaz weigh-ins (5.8M)
- Jack Swagger wins MMA debut (4.6M)
- Khabib trash talks Dustin Poirier (3.8M)
- Masvidal and Leon Edwards get in backstage fight (3.6M)
- AJ Agazarm loses pro MMA debut (3.6M)
- Nate Diaz reflects on win over Anthony Pettis (2.4M)
- Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman's confrontation (2.4M)
- Ben Askren looks back at KO loss to Masvidal (2.4M)
- Khabib says Conor McGregor begged (1.8M)
- McGregor wants return fight against Khabib (1.8M)
Please credit and link to Fightful when using this list.
