Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 73 drew 1,159,000 viewers, the sixth-largest Fight Night numbers in station history, and the prelims, on FS 2, drew 306,000 viewers, the fourth-highest numbers for any show in that station’s history.

It appears all the UFC media coverage and talk in the wake of Ronda Rousey’s win over Bethe Correia seemed to be the wave that led a higher tide, as Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night from Nashville posted big numbers, even with a lack of big-name fighters.

Saturday’s main card, headlined by a light heavyweight  battle of top contenders, where Glover Teixeira finished Ovince Saint Preux in the third round, airing from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET on FS 1, did 1,159,000 viewers. It was the sixth-biggest Fight Night audience in the history of the two-year-old station. While not in the league of the record-setting Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver show in January, which did 2.75 million viewers, only one other fight night this year was in the same range. The Feb. 22 show, headlined by Frank Mir vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, did 1,212,000 viewers, but that also aired two hours earlier, a significantly more favorable time slot, and Mir’s name value to the public is far stronger than anyone on Saturday’s show.

The audience grew throughout the night, peaking between 12:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET, for the finish and post-match of the main event, which did 1,356,000 viewers. The lead-in, a major league baseball game with the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers, did less than half the UFC’s audience, with 519,000 viewers.

Although the show featured several ranked fighters, there was no fighters with a history of moving ratings on the show. Throwing out the McGregor fight which greatly skews the average, the UFC live events, not including pay-per-view prelims, that have aired in prime time on FS 1 so far this year, are averaging 896,000 viewers. Saturday’s show was 29 percent above usual for a show that on paper had no reason to do above average numbers.

The prelims on FS 2, headlined by Uriah Hall’s firs round finish of Oluwale Bamgbose did 306,000 viewers. It was the most viewers for any UFC event ever on the station. It was the fourth most watched show in the history of FS 2, trailing only two NASCAR events and a Women’s World Cup soccer game. .

The company is on a strong run with two consecutive pay-per-view successes, and the highest rated FOX summer special to date since July 11. The prior Fight Night show on FS 1, airing on July 15, headlined by Mir vs. Todd Duffee, did 801,000 viewers, although that was on a less familiar Wednesday night. .

Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 73 drew 1,159,000 viewers, the sixth-largest Fight Night numbers in station history, and the prelims, on FS 2, drew 306,000 viewers, the fourth-highest numbers for any show in that station’s history.

It appears all the UFC media coverage and talk in the wake of Ronda Rousey’s win over Bethe Correia seemed to be the wave that led a higher tide, as Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night from Nashville posted big numbers, even with a lack of big-name fighters.

Saturday’s main card, headlined by a light heavyweight  battle of top contenders, where Glover Teixeira finished Ovince Saint Preux in the third round, airing from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET on FS 1, did 1,159,000 viewers. It was the sixth-biggest Fight Night audience in the history of the two-year-old station. While not in the league of the record-setting Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver show in January, which did 2.75 million viewers, only one other fight night this year was in the same range. The Feb. 22 show, headlined by Frank Mir vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, did 1,212,000 viewers, but that also aired two hours earlier, a significantly more favorable time slot, and Mir’s name value to the public is far stronger than anyone on Saturday’s show.

The audience grew throughout the night, peaking between 12:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET, for the finish and post-match of the main event, which did 1,356,000 viewers. The lead-in, a major league baseball game with the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers, did less than half the UFC’s audience, with 519,000 viewers.

Although the show featured several ranked fighters, there was no fighters with a history of moving ratings on the show. Throwing out the McGregor fight which greatly skews the average, the UFC live events, not including pay-per-view prelims, that have aired in prime time on FS 1 so far this year, are averaging 896,000 viewers. Saturday’s show was 29 percent above usual for a show that on paper had no reason to do above average numbers.

The prelims on FS 2, headlined by Uriah Hall’s firs round finish of Oluwale Bamgbose did 306,000 viewers. It was the most viewers for any UFC event ever on the station. It was the fourth most watched show in the history of FS 2, trailing only two NASCAR events and a Women’s World Cup soccer game. .

The company is on a strong run with two consecutive pay-per-view successes, and the highest rated FOX summer special to date since July 11. The prior Fight Night show on FS 1, airing on July 15, headlined by Mir vs. Todd Duffee, did 801,000 viewers, although that was on a less familiar Wednesday night. .