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Last UFC Prelims on Spike TV special draw solid ratings

Submitted by Fred Richani on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 23:21

Good news Zuffa and Viacom as they part ways. 

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According to MMAJunkie.com, the UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem preliminary fights on Spike TV drew a solid 1.8 million viewers. That viewership ranks second all-time amongst televised UFC prelims.

The final live UFC on Spike TV broadcast aired from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena on Friday, December 30, before the pay-per-view broadcast and featured Ross Pearson vs. Junior Assuncao and Anthony Njokuani vs. Danny Castillo. 

UFC Prelims Viewership Provided by MMAJunkie.com

1) UFC 126 (February 2011): 2 million viewers
2) UFC 141 (December 2011): 1.8 million viewers
3) UFC 109 (February 2010): 1.7 million
4) UFC 135 (September 2011): 1.6 million
4) UFC 131 (June 2011): 1.6 million
5) UFC 114 (May 2010): 1.6 million
7) UFC 129 (April 2010): 1.5 million
7) UFC 108 (January 2010): 1.5 million
7) UFC 121 (October 2010): 1.5 million
7) UFC 123 (November 2010): 1.5 million
11) UFC 133 (August 2011): 1.4 million
11) UFC 104 (October 2009): 1.4 million
11) UFC 103 (September 2009): 1.4 million
14) UFC 134 (August 2011): 1.3 million
14) UFC 130 (May 2011): 1.3 million
14) UFC 128 (March 2011): 1.3 million
14) UFC 119 (September 2010): 1.3 million
14) UFC 116 (July 2010): 1.3 million
14) UFC 115 (June 2010): 1.3 million
14) UFC 106 (November 2009): 1.3 million
21) UFC 139 (November 2011): 1.2 million
21) UFC 132 (July 2011): 1.2 million
21) UFC 111 (March 2010): 1.2 million
24) UFC 137 (October 2011): 1.1 million
24) UFC 118 (August 2010): 1.1 million
26) UFC 136 (October 2011): 1 million
27) UFC 125 (January 2011): 829,000*
28) UFC 140 (December 2011): 808,000*
29) UFC 127 (February 2011): 714,000*
* - Aired on ION Television, not Spike TV

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.

However, due to the UFC's new deal with FOX, the prelims specials are moving to FX and FUEL TV this year.