UFC on FOX won its first head-to-head bout with Premier Boxing Champions, but did not come out unscathed.
UFC on FOX 19 earned a 1.4 overnight rating Saturday night, down 22% from last year’s April telecast (1.8) and down 13% from April 2014 (1.6). Compared to the most recent edition of UFC on FOX in January, overnights dropped 18% from a 1.7.
The 1.4 overnight is the lowest ever for the UFC on FOX, and likely the lowest for any mixed martial arts telecast on primetime broadcast television (EliteXC and Strikeforce data was incomplete).
The UFC did come out ahead of NBC’s competing Premier Boxing Champions telecast, which had a 1.0 overnight — the series’ lowest for a primetime card on broadcast TV (seven telecasts). The 1.0 declined 23% from the previous mark, a 1.3 for coverage on NBC in December.
While neither telecast fared well, the combined overnight of 2.4 topped ESPN’s competing Celtics/Hawks and Mavericks/Thunder NBA playoff games (2.2).
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
