The decision to move The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) on FX from Friday nights to Tuesday nights so far proves to be the right choice for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Fox Sports Media Group.
Season 17 of the reality TV series made its special two-hour premiere Tuesday night on FX from 8 – 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Since The Ultimate Fighter moved from Spike TV to FX in March 2012, beginning with season 15, Tuesday’s TUF 17 premiere broke viewing records for the series in the following key demographics:
- Adults 18-49: 1.03 million*
- Men 18-49: 677,000*
- Total Viewers: 1.51 million *
Compared to the two previous season averages of The Ultimate Fighter on FX, which aired Friday nights, the number of Adults 18-49 who tuned in to the TUF 17 premiere was up 59% from season 2 and up 36% from season 1. The number of Total Viewers was up 66% from season 2 and up 46% from season 1.
In addition to the ratings success of the TUF 17 opener, this past Saturday night’s UFC on FX 7 broadcast, highlighted by Vitor Belfort‘s amazing head kick knockout of Michael Bisping in the main event, was the most-watched UFC event in FX history, setting highs in:
- Total Viewers: 1.86 million
- Adults 18-49: 1.32 million
- Men 18-49: 985,000
Airing from 9-11 p.m. ET, on January 19, UFC on FX 7 ranked #1 in all of television for Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and in all male demos.
UFC on FX 7, along with Iron Man 2, which also aired January 19 on FX, made it the #1 most-watched network in all of television Saturday night for Adults 18-49 and all male demos.
If you missed the TUF 17 premiere, you can read our thoughts on the new look and find out which fighters made it through the elimination round here: The Ultimate Fighter 17 episode 1 recap and review. We also have last Saturday’s full UFC on FX 7 results and play-by-play commentary.
*Numbers based on Fast Nationals, subject to change.