On a weekend that saw all three major fight series televised on consecutive nights, ESPN’s first ever UFC main event came out ahead in the ratings.
The first UFC Fight Night on ESPN scored a 0.9 rating and 1.46 million viewers Sunday night, up 69% in ratings and 64% in viewership from last year (0.52, 893K) and up 63% and 61% respectively from 2017 (0.54, 907K), both of which aired on FS1.
Prelims leading into the main event had a 0.6 (+50%) and 988,000 (+46%).
All four UFC windows on ESPN — three prelims and one main card — have increased at least 45 percent over last year’s comparable telecasts on FS1.
A less flattering comparison is to the UFC on FOX. Sunday’s telecast trailed all 31 UFC on FOX main events, none of which ever dipped below a 1.0 and 1.68 million. In February of last year, UFC on FOX 26 had a considerably stronger 1.2 and 2.04 million. Keep in mind FOX is a broadcast network in tens of millions more homes than ESPN.
The UFC was the most-watched combat sports event on a weekend that featured the three most prominent fight series.
On Saturday night, FOX earned a 0.9 and 1.38 million for Premier Boxing Champions, down 30% in ratings and 31% in viewership from the previous card last month (1.3, 1.98M). There was no comparable PBC card on FOX last year.
While UFC on ESPN and PBC on FOX were separated by only 100,000 viewers overall, UFC was easily the bigger draw in the key demos — doubling PBC in adults 18-49 (0.6 to 0.3) and adults 18-34 (0.5 to 0.2) and well ahead in adults 25-54 (0.7 to 0.4).
On Friday night, ESPN drew a 0.48 and 704,000 for Top Rank Boxing — up 6% in ratings and 1% in viewership from the same window last year (0.45, 703K). Compared to the previous Top Rank card on ESPN over Super Bowl weekend, ratings fell 16% (from 0.6) and viewership 20% (from 880K).
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 2.20]
