UFC has record-setting PPV year in 2016 but could be in trouble for 2017

Everything came up roses for Dana White and UFC last year, but 2017 may not be as promising

The year 2016 was far and away the best in UFC history. Conor McGregor gave the company new life after becoming the first simultaneous two-division champion by beating Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. Plus, Ronda Rousey made her return to the octagon, though she got smoked by Amanda Nunes in the first round at UFC 207.

With McGregor fighting three times in 2016 and Rousey making one appearance, UFC had a record-setting year of pay-per-view sales, generating 8.37 million buys for 13 cards -- an average of 644,000 per show, according to MMAFighting.com.

While that's an increase from 2015's average of 550,000 for 13 cards -- the company's previous best -- it is also a bit misleading. The five PPVs involving McGregor, Rousey and UFC 200 all did over 1 million buys. Five other PPVs did less than 250,000.

The three cards in between -- UFC 197, UFC 199 and UFC 203 -- did 322,000, 320,000 and 450,000 buys, respectively. UFC 203 was somewhat assisted by the debut of former WWE wrestler CM Punk, who lost via first-round submission to Mickey Gall.

Now what does this all mean?

While it is a great year for UFC and its new ownership group to have such a huge number to start, it's not a great indicator for 2017.

McGregor is on the shelf until at least May while he and his girlfriend have their first child. Rousey is now on a two-fight losing streak and nobody is quite sure what her next move will be. Plus, there isn't a "200"-type card to build around.

With UFC's biggest names maybe only fighting twice this year, it is going to be a true test to see how many people are drawn in for PPVs.

The company has two legitimate stars it can start to build around in bantamweight Cody Garbrandt and heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic. Women's bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes is as ferocious as they come and fans could be drawn to that impressive knockout ability.

One of the more intriguing cards of the year will be UFC 209, headlined by welterweight champ Tyron Woodley in a rematch with Stephen Thompson from UFC 205. That fight could have headlined its own PPV at any other time but was paired with McGregor-Alvarez, leading to huge numbers.

Now they are the big draw with a No. 1 contenders match serving as the co-main event with Khabib Nurmagomedov facing Tony Ferguson.

If McGregor is out until May -- or fighting Floyd Mayweather like the two have discussed ad nauseam for the last couple of months -- then this might end up being UFC's biggest show of the year, a far cry from UFC 200 and UFC 205.