UFC Fight Night 42 received an average viewership of 1.2 million viewers on Saturday night. It was the third-most watched UFC Fight Night on FS1 so far.
The Prelims also pulled an impressive number with an average viewership of 812,000. In addition, the UFC Postfight Show edition of Fox Sports live drew 608,000 viewers which was the 5th most-watch edition of the show ever. Via Carleton Curtis of Fox Sports:
Bendo-Khabilov: 1,217,000 viewers (3rd-most watched @FOXSports1 UFC Fight Night to date). Prelims: 812K (2nd highest) #ratings
— Carleton Curtis (@carletoncurtis) June 10, 2014
UFC Postfight Show edition of @FOXSportsLive = 608K viewers (5th most-watched FSL ever). Strong Bendo-Khabilov lead-in
— Carleton Curtis (@carletoncurtis) June 10, 2014
UFC Fight Nights since August 2013
UFC Fight Night 26 1,780,000
UFC Fight Night 27 824,000
UFC Fight Night 28 539,000
UFC Fight Night 29 638,000
UFC Fight Night 30 122,000
UFC Fight Night 31 641,000
UFC Fight Night 32 722,000
UFC Fight Night 33 755,000
UFC Fight Night 34 Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 35 629,000
UFC Fight Night 36 1,400,000
UFC Fight Night 37 Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 38 936,000
UFC Fight Night 39 Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 40 735,000 viewers (DVR +3)
UFC Fight Night 41 Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 42 1,217,000
Payout Perspective:
Impressive ratings considering the choices on television on Saturday with The Belmont, NHL Stanley Cup Finals, MLB games and the Sergio Martinez-Miguel Cotto PPV. Benson Henderson headlined the card as he was able to choke out Rustam Khabilov. Henderson seems to draw great ratings on television (Fox and now FS1) but it doesn’t seem to translate to PPV for one reason or another. This card, ratings-wise is just below the inaugural night of FS1 (UFC FN 26: Sonnen-Rua) and a Saturday night February card (UFC FN 36: Machida-Mousasi).
Wow! Very impressive! This beats any type of boxing card of the same headlining quality. Wasn’t even a title fight.
Ahahahahahaha! My stalker is so desperate for attention.
Another garbage UFC event producing 1/3 of rratings from 8 years ago.
Impressive FS1 numbers for some so-so name fighters. Now that FS1 is near its 1st anniversary, would like to know a bit more about the future and what’s to come. Is FS1 happy with the UFC, and/or is the UFC happy with FS1? These Fight Night numbers are inconsistent at the very least – who could’ve ever guessed this would be the 3rd highest beforehand.
It seems like the UFC has about 600-800k fans that will watch whatever they put out – no matter what. This translates into 150k baseline PPV buyers, which could possibly dip to 100-125 with the 174 in Vancouver. Perhaps they would be happy just having a core group of fans in every country in the world, rather than be the NFL in the states. A smaller piece of a much larger pie, so to speak. Seems like where they’re headed.
Very good point Leon, I feel Fox has no other real options at this point.
Considering UFC was the #1 program on FS1 for the 3rd week in a row I’m thinking fox is happy with the UFC. The UFC might not be happy with some of the low 600k numbers but they’ll deal with them. As FS1 continues to broaden their programming and get into more households and better placement on TV systems the UFC will grow with the channel. There’s still so much programming fox is waiting on because deals don’t start until 2015. USMNT soccer, mls, increase NASCAR schedule, golf, possibly NBA in 2016, world cup in 2018, & 2022. FS1 & FS2 will grow over time and UFC will grow with them.
great number .. @sampson the one – you do know boxing cards have topped over 1.2 million on hbo right ? with less viewers .. golovkin-stevens reached 1.5 mil .. marquez-alvarado 1.2 …chavez as well .. adonis kovalev doubleheader reached 1.3 mil etc stop comparing both sports .. ben henderson is big name it shows
Yup…a niche market sounds realistic
Are you seriously trying to compare Marquez-Alvarado to Ben Henderson vs a non top 10 opponent? This was a very mediocre non title headliner and it drew a big number. Boxing has most of its big fights on tv not ppv.
it looks like they are averaging about 900,000 viewers per showing. i will cut the UFC some slack because they have oversaturated the market. If they had less events they could probably average about 1.5 million viewers per event. Pretty mediocre. Boxing gets about 900,000 viewers per show on HBO. which has 1/3 the audience.
Let’s face it, these numbers are pathetic for free shows after 1 year. That said, Fox is in the long term business and is getting better ratings with UFC than most other programming. BUt as jon points there is better programming on the horizon, He is wrong, when this programming comes online, UFC will become even less important, not more, and sink further into the abyss.
UFC has b=now enetrated enough markets,, has its paywall, and is now in a position where they will generate cash flow to sow their creditors they can be paid back and have stable cash throw to the investors. This is what you call the mature stage of the business.
Fightbusiness, those boxing events you speak of typically are big title fights, the ufc just did a non title fight, with a non top 10, no name B headliner that drew 1.2m viewers. Yet when we take a boxing match on ESPN between 2 heavyweight top 10 fighters in the Arreolla fight, they couldn’t even break a million average viewers. Stop comparing apples to oranges.
2006 UFC ratings on Spike… 4 million.
2014 UFC ratings on FOXsports… 1 million.
It is a sinking ship.
🙂
http://mmajunkie.com/2007/09/ufc-75-broadcast-breaks-spike-tv-and-north-american-ratings-records
Well everything in Boxing is a title fights because there are titles everywhere but if james Kirkland fights or Canelo or Alvarado vs Rios those fights are very capable of getting over 1 million viewers. Chavez Jr vs Vera just did like 1.3 million views. Thurman, Madaina, Broner all these guys can do over one million on HBO. Again they are champs because titles are every where in Boxing. GGG will do over one million this week. Just watch. Can you stop with that Heavyweight shit. No one knew that fight was even on ESPN and the Heavyweight division sucks.
There are more titles in boxing then all the UFC fighters combined lol its a joke. Most of the title holders even boxing fans never heard of or care. Makes no sense.
Fightbusiness, again, you are an exaggerator. The point was that nearly every major fight in the ufc is on ppv, while boxing has a lot of big fights on tv like Alvarado vs. Marquez. That is 10x more high profile of a fight than Benson Henderson vs. Khabi whatever the fuck.
You are just making excuses for the hw’s, ESPN promoted the shit out of that fight, you just aren’t a very aware person. They promoted it more than any FS1 show has been. You just can’t see your bias.
Sal, I wouldn’t expect you to understand that, don’t strain yourself trying to understand basic logic.
If FS1 and FS2 gets so much more programming in 2015 and onwards, this just means the less air time UFC will get. How are they going to put on as many shows as they do now, if FOX puts on a plethora of new programming?
Also.. soccer, golf, and NASCAR fans will NOT translate to UFC viewership. Not even close. IF, and IF, the UFC is forced to put on LESS shows, this would likely actually bet better for ratings. I agree that their average will go up with less shows.
D- I admit UFC has more elite fights on PPV but dont think for a second most of these fights would get massive numbers on basic cable. As a matter of fact outside of GSP and Anderson Silva, I dont think any UFC fighter can get 3 million people to watch them fight on Fox basic cable. Put Cotto, Adrian Broner, Canelo, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Froch on basic cable that shit would get 3 million. I am also not making excuses for the Heavyweights. You are grasping for straws because your jealous that the sweet science is not dying as MMA fans though it would. Prior to his recent loss Aerola couldnt sell 3,000 tickets. The heavyweights have no stars outside of the Klitcko’s.
Right, because they weren’t getting massive numbers before when they had title fights on? Haha. UFC 75 as Samantha posted above drew 4.7m viewers. Put those idiots you mentioned on FOX and the only one pulling those numbers is Canelo and that is if he has a quality opponent.
The only one grasping at straws is you. Everything you claim is an exaggeration.
Also, I don’t believe I ever claimed boxing was dying.
Yes D I understand that Boxing has multi champions and muti world wide presence always has and always will. Sat ppv Cotto numbers will now out do any UFC ppv numbers for 2014 lol eat a dick!
You don’t understand your surroundings, let alone something like this, regardless of how basic it is.
You are a colossal moron.
again a boxing ufc debate smh both sports have there up and down ..both great sports but boxing has been doing great numbers pass 2 years there no denying that.. last 2 months i feel something memorable is happening every week … it’s been amazing entertainment .. talking about ratings boxing has had around or over 1.2 million many times … to golovkin 1.5 mil .. to kovalev .. chavez jr – vera peaked around 1.5 .. alvarado-marquez 1.2 bradley- provodikov peaked at 1.4 million with many more i could name few more cards top of my head …… also ruslan provodikov this saturday will easily go over million .. gamboa-crawford big fight will easily do over 1.1 million .. couple weeks from now on showtime triple header which im pumped for gary russell vs lomachenko fight will be around million etc also hbo and shotime have much less viewers …. so i don’t know wth sampson the one guy is talking about .. why can we just enjoy both sports
Ha Cotto ppv out does the best UFC PPV and Froch 2 out does the top 2 ppv and out grosses the top UFC ppv for 14 you are the moron just admit the UFC has eaten a shit sandwich and Dana’s breath stinks. The UFC wont get any better as long as the ass clown Dana white is making any decisions hes out his league and is a complete ego maniac.
Ha Froch 2 could even out do the highest free UFC fight night number for 2014 ! It might be close! But idiots morons cant face facts oh well go eat a dick again!
Saldaqueef, – always amusing how delusional you are. You lie about everything and your predictions are backed off of the intellect of Art Jimmerson- your hero. Froch 2 will not outgross the top ufc this year and when it is proven, you will squirm your way out of this debate because you are a shameless, 40 year old+, mullet rocking, board breaker who most likely has Type II diabetes.
Any time D, hows India where you live and work and dont have a toilet lmao
We all know thats where you are and that you are filthy and pathetic bahahahaha
Cheap internet labor, suck a dick and come to america we have toilets and showers
You are weird and an idiot.
How does it feel for you and all of your board breakers and their mullets now sucking the dicks of everyone with a real mma gym?
Pathetic 40 yr old plus boxing/karate troll.
Hows India bahahahaha what does D really stand for Daaruk lmao
I love how most people commenting on Boxing have no idea about the sport i.e. Sampson and fightbusiness. Keith Thurman, as good and exciting prospect he is, isn’t a draw yet. You’ve just read him being called the next big thing and assumed he was a huge draw. The day racist Adrien Broner represents the sport is the day i quit watching. Why would you even brag about his drawing power?
Hahaha. You have a really weird fetish with India dude. I guess Arum sent you there.
Try using some effing punctuation, salda. Have some damn self respect. You sound like a damn illiterate.