Second in UFC pound-for-pound rankings
McGregor rises to second place in UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, behind flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and leapfrogging both Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz.
Sets MSG gate record
UFC 205 sets a gate record of over $17million (£13.5m). The previous record was set by Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis in 1999. White:
I wanted to make sure when we went to New York, we delivered. It’s the biggest, baddest card we’ve ever done in the history of the company.
$20 million payday
McGregor will earn around $20 million from his fight with Alvarez. $5m comes from his fight fee plus sponsorship money, mainly from Reebok, then a share of the PPV revenue, which looks set to top the number of buys for his rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 202
MSG gate record broken
White says UFC 205 has already broken the all-time gate record at Madison Square Garden. The gate record was set in 1999 with a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis which drew takings of $13.5 million at the door. The UFC’s own gate record of just over $12 million was set at UFC 129 when more than 55,000 people paid in to see Georges St-Pierre defeat Jake Shields in Canada.
We’ve been in all the biggest and best arenas all over the world – Madison Square Garden is a big deal. All the legendary fights that have been held there, all the legendary events and we actually broke the gate record for Madison Square Garden. So far, so good. I’m excited…Obviously it’s our first time getting into MSG and it’s been such a big deal getting there [that] I wanted to make sure when we went to New York.
.@ufc President @danawhite joined the Game 3 pregame show to discuss #UFC205, #CLEvsCHC & of course @PeteRose_14. https://t.co/otCsHJWIqx
— FS1 (@FS1) October 29, 2016
Confirmed as the biggest ticket in UFC history
UFC numbers confirm McGregor is the biggest draw in the sport. McGregor has headlined three of five pay-per-view events that gained more than a million buys in the past ten months. Including his strong performance as the headliner of UFC 189, McGregor has sold a total of 5,275,000 pay-per-views in four outings at the top of the card. For comparison, Georges St-Pierre’s last six efforts after UFC 100 sold 4,635,000. The four cards Brock Lesnar headlined between 2009 and 2011 had 4,095,000 total buys. Also, each of the four events McGregor has headlined in Las Vegas produced more gate revenue than any prior show held in the city.
2nd in LA Times MMA power rankings
McGregor is ranked second in the LA Times ranking of the top ten power rankings. Daniel Cormier takes the top spot.
McGregor’s laser-focused ability to win a fight 25 pounds above his normal weight class moves him closer to the top of The Times’ MMA power rankings…After defeating Nate Diaz, McGregor left the arena wanting his next fight to be his own choice. He’s hoping to become the UFC’s first-ever simultaneous two-belt champion, so lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez seems his favored opponent.
World’s highest paid female model
Bundchen is the highest-paid female model in the world with annual income of $30.5 million, according to Forbes magazine. Bundchen has made more money than any other model since 2002 and continues to collect endorsement deals with Chanel, Carolina Herrera and Pantene. Adriana Lima si third on the list, with Kylie Jenner in joint third place with Karlie Kloss.
Wins Video Vanguard Award
Drake presents Rihanna with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award at the MTV Music Video Awards. She performs 13 of the biggest hits in her 13-year career, including Rude Girl, Diamonds, and Only Girl in the World. Drake:
She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old. She’s one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life, I’ve looked up to her even though she’s younger than me.
Iranian refugee wins cartooning award
An Iranian refugee held at an Australia’s Manus camp in Papua New Guinea wins a political cartooning award from CRNI for his work depicting life inside the camp.
Ali, whose pen name is Eaten Fish, has chronicled his three-year detention on Manus Island as he struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and debilitating panic attacks. CRNI:
Eaten Fish has been able to keep up a stream of cartoons documenting the unspeakable abuses and excesses of the guards and administrators of the camp. For this he has been the subject of beatings, deprivation of food, and even worse degrading treatment by the guards.
The Australian government denies that the refugee has been mistreated.
Highest paid actor
Johnson tops Forbes magazine list of the world’s highest paid actors, with an estimated 2016 payday of $64.5 million. He knocks Robert Downey Jr. off the top spot and more than doubles his earnings, largely thanks to his action comedy Central Intelligence. Johnson also collected advance fees from the eighth installment of the Fast and Furious racing movie franchise.
World´s largest´ pearl emerges
A poor Philippine fisherman reveals what is thought to be the world’s largest pearl. The man found the 34 kg pearl inside a giant clam that was snagged by his anchor as he waited out a storm at sea, but hid it under his bed for a decade without knowing its worth. A fire at his home forced him to move house. The previous record, at 6kg, is valued at $35 million.
Longest glass bottom bridge in world opens
The world’s highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge opens Saturday in China’s Zhangjiajie mountains. Made up of 99 6m-wide panels, the structure is 430 metres long and suspended 300 metres above the earth, the bridge spans the canyon between two mountain cliffs in Zhangjiajie park in China’s central Hunan province. The bridge was designed by Dotan. Only 8,000 people each day will be allowed to cross the bridge. Tourists will have to book their tickets a day in advance, at a cost of 138 yuan ($20). Cameras and selfie sticks are banned, and people wearing stilettos will not be allowed to walk on the bridge. Tourist:
It’s crowded today and a bit of a mess. But to be suspended 300 metres in the air, it’s a unique experience.
Wins #DellScotIgnite contest
Newslines is chosen as one of two winners to enter Dell’s Entrepreneurial Growth Programme for Scottish Scale Ups Newslines and Ibis Vision, a company that has a new way to detect glaucoma, receive technology, training, mentorship and access to Dell events. Newslines CEO, Mark Devlin:
After many years overseas running successful media businesses, we recently came back to settle in Scotland. We know that we can unlock the potential in the new media landscape but need to tap into skills and networks within Scotland and beyond. Dell’s brand and scope gives us that additional ‘clout’ that we can’t achieve as a small scale-up.
Dell Scotland site lead, Mark White:
When we launched this programme we were confident that the Scottish scale-up environment was thriving. We were still pleasantly surprised at the quality and breadth of the entries, a testament to the future of Scottish industry. IbisVision and Newslines are very different companies but both are working in areas that are ready for disruption. We knew when we met with them that we could partner with them to help them thrive and I’m looking forward to working with them through the next year on our DellScotIgnite journey.
Wins ‘Best Fighter’ ESPY
McGregor wins the ‘Best Fighter’ award at the ESPYs, beating welterweight champ Robbie Lawler, and boxers Gennady Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez and Roman Gonzalez. He loses the ‘Best Breakthrough Athlete’ award to Chicago Cubs ace pitcher Jake Arrieta.
Receives NOW Women of Courage award
NOW gives Sulkowicz its Woman of Courage Award “for having demonstrated personal bravery in challenging entrenched power and in carrying out action that has the potential to benefit women in general.” Sulkowicz:
Camille Paglia has publicly called my artwork a “masochistic exercise” in which I neither “evolve” nor “move-on.” She speaks as if she, a white woman, knew what was best for me, a woman of color she’s never met. Many people ask me how I’ve “healed” from my assault, as if healing were another word for “forgetting about it,” “getting over it,” or even “shutting up about it.” To expect me to move on is to equate courage with self-censorship. The phrases—suck it up, move on, and get over it—are violence…I dedicate this award to everyone who has not told me to get over it. Thank you for validating my fear and my way of handling it. Thank you for creating a world in which we can tackle the things that terrify us by doing the unexpected right thing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHDazkXjYW_/
Philippines victory walk
Wutzbach does a homecoming victory walk, in place of the one she missed in the 64th Miss Universe pageant. Wearing her crown, she smiles and waves in front of the thousands of fans in Araneta Coliseum, a place where her dream of becoming Miss Universe started. This is the final event in Wurtzbach’s homecoming itinerary.
Philippine Senate honors
Wurtzbach visits the Philippine Senate for a courtesy call and to receive Senate Resolution 111 congratulating and commending her for giving honor to the country. Senate President Drilon:
For a country that is very proud of the intelligence, talent and beauty of its women, this is indeed a great reason to celebrate. Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach exhibited not only classic Filipina beauty but also intelligence with her response to the final question. I understand that Pia has made the fight against HIV her main advocacy. I can assure you that the Senate is one with you in this campaign. We will look on legislation that will boost this campaign. We also have a champion. Our very own Pia, Senator Pia Cayetano.
On Wurtzbach joining politics, Drilon:
Given her politically conscious responses to the questions, I am not surprised. You know the question was very political – the presence of the American bases, the presence of American troops, the matter of the HIV, her views on a number of critical issues. I have advised her that if she’s really interested in joining government, she would be a very strong advocate of issues that she has expressed her opinions on. And, I advised her to first try her hand in some appointed position where she can push her advocacy, rather than join the politics in an elections.
Homecoming parade
Crowds of people come out to show support for Wurtzbach, who brought home the Miss Universe crown after 42 years, at a homecoming parade through Manila. The model wears a green terno and waves the Philippine flag from her float which resembles her crown.
I hope I can be an inspiration to all of you, not to give up and to always keep studying and respect your parents and treat each other fairly.
Breaks opening weekend records
The Force Awakens breaks both the domestic and international opening weekend records, earning roughly $517 million in worldwide ticket sales, breaking multiple box office records, even after accounting for inflation. It has the largest opening weekend in North America, with $238 million in ticket sales.
Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Tarantino receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, accompanied by some of the stars of Hateful Eight, including Samuel L. Jackson. On the placement of his star:
That’s really cool, I must have become a big shot. This is a real, real groovy day.
Quentin Tarantino and his #TheHatefulEight cast pose over his new Walk of Fame star https://t.co/HZyfEZuxuK pic.twitter.com/VIT1U9igN9
— Variety (@Variety) December 21, 2015