MMAPayout.com has learned the UFC 118 Prelims on Spike TV earned a 0.8HH rating on the strength of an average of 1.1 million viewers. The broadcast drew a 1.0 in both the M18-34 and M18-49 demographics.
The quarterly viewership was as follows: 1,204,000; 1,128,000; 1,062,000; 1,059,000
Payout Perspective:
This is the lowest rated UFC Prelim yet, but slots in just above the Aldo vs. Faber broadcast that featured Garcia vs. Sung Jung.
| Event | HH | 18-34 | 18-49 | Viewers |
| 103 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1,400,000 |
| 104 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1,400,000 |
| 106 | 1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1,300,000 |
| 108 | 1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1,500,000 |
| 109 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1,700,000 |
| 111 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1,200,000 |
| A v F | 0.8 | 0.91 | 0.92 | 1,000,000 |
| 114 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.55 | 1,600,000 |
| 115 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1,300,000 |
| 116 | 1 | 1.11 | 1.04 | 1,300,000 |
| 118 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 1,100,000 |
These broadcasts are proving to be a bit of a mystery where ratings are concerned. There’s little evidence to suggest the ratings are influenced by the fighters or calibre of match-ups on the broadcasts. The ratings themselves also do not seem to correlate with the interest shown in the PPV that follows. Just about the only thing that’s proven to be somewhat predictable about this entire series is that entertaining fights generally do see an increase in viewership over the course of a match (e.g., Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung put on 400,000 viewers throughout the course of the fight).
I think we might have to look towards the external operating environment to find an explanation as to why these ratings very so inexplicably.
I suspect being up against an NFL game had a lot to do with these numbers…
These do seem on par with some of the less interesting fight night series. The “near” 1 million mark seems to be their base with respect to the bottom line viewership whether it be a fight night, ultimate fighter, prime time, etc.
Winner/Lentz was just brutal. I am surprised they did not lose more viewers. I honestly thought that would end up driving away a good 20%.
There were reports that Spike folks were saying that fight was going to hurt the show.
Looking at Lentz other fights, I am surprised he was put in that position.
That fight was on Spike for one reason …. Andre Winner was a TUF contestant.
The Spike execs are notoriously awful at picking good fights. They just want fights with TUF guys in them. They saw Winner’s name on the card and said ‘give us that one’ with no regard for who his opponent was or how awful Brits tend to look when facing wrestlers.
fought bums at LHW. Forrest Griffin’s style is tailor made for Silva to pick apart just like Rich Franklin was. Like I said, I will hold off calnlig him the GOAT until he moves up and take the belt at LHW where there is better competition.