'The Ultimate Fighter: Live' ratings: Episode No. 3 averages 1.2 million viewers
Ratings for the third episode of "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" were up a tick and resulted in an average audience of 1.2 million viewers.
Friday's episode, which featured the season's second opening-round matchup, followed the 1.1 million viewers who tuned in for the second episode and the 1.3 for the season debut.
MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the figures with an industry source.
The figure marked an eight percent ratings increase from week to week.
Additionally, ratings were up 22 percent among men 18-49, 24 percent among men 18-34, and 18 percent among 25-54. The show ranked No. 2 among men 18-49 and men 18-34 in its timeslot on cable and trailed only the 2012 NCAA men's basketball tournament on TBS.
"The Ultimate Fighter: Live" features UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz and former WEC titleholder Urijah Faber as opposing coaches. Following a two-and-a-half-hour debut episode in which an initial group of 32 was whittled down to 16, the series continues with a fight each week. After pre-taped content, the lightweights-only show concludes with a live fight.
In the third episode, Team Cruz's No. 1 pick, Justin Lawrence, knocked out Team Faber's second pick, Cristiano Marcello. Team Cruz is now up 2-0 through two of the opening round's eight fights.
Spike TV began airing "TUF" in early 2005, but as part of the UFC's mega-deal with FOX, the series moved to FX in 2012. With the move to FX, Spike TV is now counter-programming the live shows with "The Ultimate Fighter Fridays," which features past episodes of the show.
The "TUF: Live" episode-by-episode ratings include:
"The Ultimate Fighter: Live" episode No. 1: 1.3 million viewers
"The Ultimate Fighter: Live" episode No. 2: 1.1 million viewers
"The Ultimate Fighter: Live" episode No. 3: 1.2 million viewers
