UFC on FOX 21 ratings take a hit due to local NFL preseason preemptions

The ratings are in for UFC on FOX: Condit vs. Maia, and it’s the lowest rated FOX card in UFC history.

Under the UFC’s deal with FOX Sports, they normally air four events on the big FOX network, as they’ve done from 2013-2015. This year they had the option of an additional event, which was UFC on FOX 21 this past weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For the first time ever, a UFC on FOX card had to go up against NFL preseason action, and the end result was not pretty.

MMA Fighting’s Dave Meltzer broke down the final numbers for UFC on FOX 21, which drew a record-low rating.

“The card, headlined by Demian Maia’s quick submission win over Carlos Condit, did a 1.2 rating and 1,983,000 viewers. The show was previously reported as doing 2.22 million viewers on the overnights, but as noted at the time, that was a rating for the FOX network in prime time, which didn’t include the UFC show on the West Coast, but was boosted by ratings in 15 markets that aired NFL preseason games instead of the UFC show.

In those 15 markets, the UFC show either aired on a tape delay later in the weekend, or on another station in the market.”

The Detroit Lions had a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens air on their local FOX affiliate. In fact, the UFC on FOX Twitter account noted that some viewers would be affected by NFL exhibition games.

If your local @FOXTV is running the @NFL game, don’t fret. You can watch the fights on the #FSGo App here https://t.co/M3Yi4UqslU

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) August 27, 2016

The previous lowest rated UFC on FOX show was in July 2013, when Demetrious Johnson’s win over John Moraga averaged just 2.38 million viewers. UFC on FOX 21’s peak viewing figure was 2.2 million for Anthony Pettis’ guillotine choke of Charles Oliveira in the co-main event.

It’s definitely a different tale than that of UFC on FOX 20 in July, which peaked at nearly 4.7 million viewers for Valentina Shevchenko’s unanimous decision victory over Holly Holm. That card also benefited from running over the 10 PM ET timeslot, as opposed to UFC on FOX 21, which saw Demian Maia’s quick tapout of Carlos Condit end the night’s action just before 10 PM ET. So you combine the card not lasting very long with the lack of real top-flight name value, as well as NFL broadcasts relegating the UFC to another affiliate or a tape delay, you get a disappointing final rating.

UFC on FOX 22 is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th in Sacramento, California.

The ratings are in for UFC on FOX: Condit vs. Maia, and it’s the lowest rated FOX card in UFC history.

Under the UFC’s deal with FOX Sports, they normally air four events on the big FOX network, as they’ve done from 2013-2015. This year they had the option of an additional event, which was UFC on FOX 21 this past weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For the first time ever, a UFC on FOX card had to go up against NFL preseason action, and the end result was not pretty.

MMA Fighting’s Dave Meltzer broke down the final numbers for UFC on FOX 21, which drew a record-low rating.

“The card, headlined by Demian Maia’s quick submission win over Carlos Condit, did a 1.2 rating and 1,983,000 viewers. The show was previously reported as doing 2.22 million viewers on the overnights, but as noted at the time, that was a rating for the FOX network in prime time, which didn’t include the UFC show on the West Coast, but was boosted by ratings in 15 markets that aired NFL preseason games instead of the UFC show.

In those 15 markets, the UFC show either aired on a tape delay later in the weekend, or on another station in the market.”

The Detroit Lions had a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens air on their local FOX affiliate. In fact, the UFC on FOX Twitter account noted that some viewers would be affected by NFL exhibition games.

The previous lowest rated UFC on FOX show was in July 2013, when Demetrious Johnson’s win over John Moraga averaged just 2.38 million viewers. UFC on FOX 21’s peak viewing figure was 2.2 million for Anthony Pettis’ guillotine choke of Charles Oliveira in the co-main event.

It’s definitely a different tale than that of UFC on FOX 20 in July, which peaked at nearly 4.7 million viewers for Valentina Shevchenko’s unanimous decision victory over Holly Holm. That card also benefited from running over the 10 PM ET timeslot, as opposed to UFC on FOX 21, which saw Demian Maia’s quick tapout of Carlos Condit end the night’s action just before 10 PM ET. So you combine the card not lasting very long with the lack of real top-flight name value, as well as NFL broadcasts relegating the UFC to another affiliate or a tape delay, you get a disappointing final rating.

UFC on FOX 22 is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th in Sacramento, California.