Despite large portions of the East Coast losing power and not being able to tune in, Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" special for this past weekend's UFC 134 event drew a 0.9 household rating and averaged 1.3 million viewers. It was the day's No. 1 rated cable program among men 18-48.
Spike TV officials today emailed the figures to MMAJunkie.com
Due to Hurricane Irene sapping many would-be viewers' electricity, Spike TV will re-air the one-hour special on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
In addition to the "UFC Prelims" replay, Spike TV airs a Anderson Silva-themed "UFC Unleashed" marathon beginning at 3 p.m. ET that day. The special includes Silva's past fights with Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Chris Leben, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort
UFC 134 took place Aug. 27 at Rio de Janeiro's HSBC Arena. It was the UFC's first event in Brazil since 1998. Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" special followed a preliminary-card stream on Facebook and preceded the night's pay-per-view main card, which saw Silva defend his middleweight title with a one-sided beatdown of Yushin Okami.
In the Spike TV bouts, lightweight Thiago Tavares scored a TKO victory over Spencer Fisher, and Rousimar Palhares scored a decision victory over fellow middleweight Dan Miller. They helped contributed to a night in which American fighters went 0-6 and Brazilian fighters went 7-1 when facing non-Brazilians.
To date, Spike TV has aired 21 "UFC Prelims" broadcasts (ION Television also aired two). The all-time record for viewership was set in February
when two million viewers tuned in for a "UFC Prelims" special for UFC 126. UFC 133 scored 1.4 million viewers earlier this month.
The full list of "UFC Prelims" broadcasts and ratings as compiled by MMAjunkie.com includes:
The UFC first offered a PPV teaser broadcast for UFC 103, when the UFC went head-to-head on Spike TV with a boxing PPV broadcast featuring Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez. The specials proved effective enough at generating last-minute PPV buys that officials from the UFC and the organization's longtime cable partner decided to make them a regular offering.
Spike TV officials today emailed the figures to MMAJunkie.com
Due to Hurricane Irene sapping many would-be viewers' electricity, Spike TV will re-air the one-hour special on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
In addition to the "UFC Prelims" replay, Spike TV airs a Anderson Silva-themed "UFC Unleashed" marathon beginning at 3 p.m. ET that day. The special includes Silva's past fights with Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Chris Leben, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort
UFC 134 took place Aug. 27 at Rio de Janeiro's HSBC Arena. It was the UFC's first event in Brazil since 1998. Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" special followed a preliminary-card stream on Facebook and preceded the night's pay-per-view main card, which saw Silva defend his middleweight title with a one-sided beatdown of Yushin Okami.
In the Spike TV bouts, lightweight Thiago Tavares scored a TKO victory over Spencer Fisher, and Rousimar Palhares scored a decision victory over fellow middleweight Dan Miller. They helped contributed to a night in which American fighters went 0-6 and Brazilian fighters went 7-1 when facing non-Brazilians.
To date, Spike TV has aired 21 "UFC Prelims" broadcasts (ION Television also aired two). The all-time record for viewership was set in February
when two million viewers tuned in for a "UFC Prelims" special for UFC 126. UFC 133 scored 1.4 million viewers earlier this month.
The full list of "UFC Prelims" broadcasts and ratings as compiled by MMAjunkie.com includes:
- 1) UFC 126 (February 2011): 2 million viewers
- 2) UFC 109 (February 2010): 1.7 million
- 3) UFC 131 (June 2011): 1.6 million
- 3) UFC 114 (May 2010): 1.6 million
- 5) UFC 129 (April 2010): 1.5 million
- 5) UFC 108 (January 2010): 1.5 million
- 5) UFC 121 (October 2010): 1.5 million
- 5) UFC 123 (November 2010): 1.5 million
- 9) UFC 133 (August 2011): 1.4 million
- 9) UFC 104 (October 2009): 1.4 million
- 9) UFC 103 (September 2009): 1.4 million
- 12) UFC 134 (August 2011): 1.3 million
- 12) UFC 130 (May 2011): 1.3 million
- 12) UFC 128 (March 2011): 1.3 million
- 12) UFC 119 (September 2010): 1.3 million
- 12) UFC 116 (July 2010): 1.3 million
- 12) UFC 115 (June 2010): 1.3 million
- 12) UFC 106 (November 2009): 1.3 million
- 19) UFC 132 (July 2011): 1.2 million
- 19) UFC 111 (March 2010): 1.2 million
- 21) UFC 118 (August 2010): 1.1 million
- 22) UFC 125 (January 2011): 829,000*
- 23) UFC 127 (February 2011): 714,000*
The UFC first offered a PPV teaser broadcast for UFC 103, when the UFC went head-to-head on Spike TV with a boxing PPV broadcast featuring Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez. The specials proved effective enough at generating last-minute PPV buys that officials from the UFC and the organization's longtime cable partner decided to make them a regular offering.