UFC On FOX 5: FX Prelims -TV Ratings

A decision to promote the ‘UFC On FOX 5’ preliminary card from Fuel TV to FX on Saturday night proved to be a good strategy with an average of 1.2 million viewers tuning into the broadcast.

That’s up 220,000 from the ‘UFC 154 Prelims’ recently and nestles into sixth position out of the 13 prelim shows that have been broadcast on FX this year.

With the ‘UFC On FOX’ prelims on Fuel TV in the past having drawn less than 200,000 viewers in total there’s no doubt this was a much better way of both giving extra exposure to the fighters on the card, and to help promote the fact that the main card was airing for free on FX immediately afterwards.

The timing couldn’t have been better either as it turned out to be a highly entertaining selection of undercard fights that set the stage perfectly for the main action on FOX.

The early indications are that it has helped the overall ratings on FOX, with the overnight figures for the ‘UFC On FOX 5’ main card broadcast recorded at 3.4 million – a million more viewers more than watched either of the previous to ‘UFC On FOX’ shows.

FOX had confirmed prior to the event that airing the prelims on FX will become the standard way of operating for ‘UFC On FOX’ events from this point forward which is definitely good news.

Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.