MMA Payout has learned from a Nielsen source that Friday’s Bellator 126 drew an average viewership of 656,000 viewers with a peak at 942,000. It is the lowest output of the season although the season average is ahead of the pace from season 10.
In the main event Brandon Halsey won the Bellator welterweight championship from Alexander Schlemenko. Halsey could be a rising star for the organization. He even did a Monster Energy Drink post-fight promo.
Payout Perspective:
With Friday’s show, Bellator’s 11th season has an overnight ratings average of 709,000 viewers. Its live peak average is slightly over 1 million viewers. Through 5 events in its 10th season, the overnight viewer average was at 684,000 with its live peak at 950,000 viewers. It’s a slight incremental increase, but if we are to put a positive spin on the viewership it is growing and staying steady with fighters that are not really known to the casual fans.
Based on previous drawing histories of the guys on the main card, this card was the weakest of the season so far for Bellator so the number was fairly impressive when that is considered. It was the first show where all the fighters were “homegrown” Bellator guys.