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Numbers Confirm That WAY More People Receive FOX Sports 1 Than FUEL TV

(That awkward moment when you realize you jumped ship way, way too soon.)

I imagine that after receiving the ratings numbers for Fight Night 26: Shogun vs. Sonnen this morning, Dana White calmly asked everyone to get the fuck out of his office, closed the door, threw on some Rage and did the following…

It would be hard to blame him if he did, because early figures for the UFC’s debut on the FOX Sports 1 network are nothing short of astounding. According to a press release sent out this morning, Saturday’s main card at the TD Garden averaged over 1.7 million viewers, shattering the UFC’s previous FUEL ratings like they were Corey Hill’s leg:

FOX Sports 1, driven by UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SHOGUN VS. SONNEN, posted an average audience of 1.71 million viewers in prime time (8:00-11:00 PM ET), a more than 10-fold increase compared to that which SPEED, FOX Soccer and FUEL TV combined to deliver on the comparable night a year ago (141,000). Among younger demographics the comparisons are even more significant. FOX Sports 1 viewership was over 25 times greater than SPEED/FOX Soccer/FUEL TV among both Adults 18-49 and Men 18-49, and 40 times greater among Adults 18-34 and M18-34.

(That awkward moment when you realize you jumped ship way, way too soon.)

FOX Sports 1, driven by UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SHOGUN VS. SONNEN, posted an average audience of 1.71 million viewers in prime time (8:00-11:00 PM ET), a more than 10-fold increase compared to that which SPEED, FOX Soccer and FUEL TV combined to deliver on the comparable night a year ago (141,000). Among younger demographics the comparisons are even more significant. FOX Sports 1 viewership was over 25 times greater than SPEED/FOX Soccer/FUEL TV among both Adults 18-49 and Men 18-49, and 40 times greater among Adults 18-34 and M18-34.

40 TIMES GREATER?! On a network I still can’t find with a remote, a TV guide and a homeless guy I dragged off the streets to watch the fights with me?

But wait, MORE NUMBERS:

FOX Sports 1 averaged a 1.33 household rating last night in prime time, and ratings were particularly strong among younger demographics. Remarkably, FOX Sports 1 out-rated all four major broadcast networks among Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34, Men 18-49, and Men 18-34 based on impressions within each demo.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: SHOGUN VS. SONNEN was the most socially-active English-language show in all of television yesterday, with 46,520 commenters, producing 124,635 Tweets, based on the number of commenters not Tweets. For the entire day, FOX Sports 1 was the third-most socially active English-language network (52,209), as ranked by number of unique commenters after NFL Network (116,253 unique commenters) and FOX Broadcast (104,365).

So you’re saying that if you actually put a decent fight card together, fans will tune into said card even if it’s on a previously unheard of channel? QUICK, SOMEONE ALERT LORENZO OF THIS DISCOVERY FORTHWITH.

It’s safe to say that the UFC knocked this one out of the park and is off to a great start on the FS1 network. Perhaps most telling of all was this email sent from White to Dave “The Doom and Gloom F*ckstick” Meltzer that we obtained (hacked in and stole) from his Blackberry:

Dearest Dave,

1.71 MILLION. 1.33 RATING.

F*ck you, you no-longer-working-at-Yahoo piece of sh*t. – DW

Lets hope the UFC can boast similar numbers with their second event, Condit vs. Kampmann II, which goes down from Indianapolis, Indiana on the 28th. Based on the card alone, we’re going to make the wild prediction that they won’t.

–J. Jones

Not This Shit Again: BJ Penn Reportedly Not Ready to Retire Yet, Eyes Lightweight Return

(Well, at least we had the same reaction to this news as Penn himself.)

Former lightweight and welterweight champion BJ Penn is one of the best fighters in MMA history, pound for pound. There is no debating this. However, the thirty four year-old has also only won a single fight in his last six outings, and just three in his last nine fights, dating back the last four and a half years.

Penn’s last two losses, to Nick Diaz and Rory MacDonald at UFC 137 and UFC on FOX 5, respectively, were ugly ones for “The Prodigy” to say the least. The tough Hawaiian made it to the end of both fights by virtue of being damn near impossible to finish, but also looked more like a cartoon who had taken a bath in Judge Doom’s “Dip” than a human being by the time both encounters were all said and done.

UFC President Dana White has called for Penn to retire, saying that Penn is “too tough for his own good.” Despite this, Fuel TV’s UFC Tonight reported yesterday that Penn is not yet ready to call it quits. Because who ever is, really?

“The door is still open for BJ Penn to return to MMA in the future,” reporter Ariel Helwani said on UFC Tonight. “If he does come back, it will be at 155 pounds…He’s actually training right now and has to check in with his body and mind in the next few months.”

(Well, at least we had the same reaction to this news as Penn himself.)

“The door is still open for BJ Penn to return to MMA in the future,” reporter Ariel Helwani said on UFC Tonight. ”If he does come back, it will be at 155 pounds…He’s actually training right now and has to check in with his body and mind in the next few months.”

Goodness. Combine his results and damage sustained over the past five years with statements from Penn about how he hasn’t been the same, mentally, since having kids, and one has to wonder if the UFC should try and take the decision out of the former champ’s hands. The fact that he already retired after his fight with Diaz, then unretired only to get his ass handed to him by “Ares” should drive this notion home.

What do you say, Nation? Should Penn prolong his already long and legendary career or just leave well enough alone?

–Elias Cepeda

[VIDEO] Wanderlei Silva Responds to Chael Sonnen’s Twitter Challenge With Some Weird, Scary Statements

In typical Chael Sonnen fashion, the outspoken whateverweight recently issued a challenge to Wanderlei Silva with a 24-hour expiration date. Apparently Sonnen’s ability to lose fights yet subsequently talk himself into main events has confused him to the point that he believes he is a UFC matchmaker. Sure, Silva is coming off of an impressive knockout win and yes, Sonnen has lost two in a row. But when has being on a career downturn ever stopped the “American Gangster” from getting fights with more famous fighters who are actually winning before?

“I gave him the timeline…if he doesn’t answer, I’m done and I’ll move on,” Sonnen said from his Fuel TV analyst’s seat this week.

Wanderlei finally responded to Sonnen’s challenge yesterday, and thankfully not on Twitter. Silva told Ariel Helwani that he’s never been offered the Sonnen fight by, you know, the people who offer fights in the UFC. Sonnen also apparently didn’t realize that the communication medium of choice for twelve year old girls would mean little to Wanderlei.

When Fuel TV called up Silva for comment on Sonnen’s challenge, Wanderlei took things from the world of Twitter to a much weirder and more frightening place. First off, Helwani said that Silva “laughed uncontrollably” — which, if you’ve ever heard him laugh, is scary enough — before adding that, “Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been too nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight. Not just fight. I want to hurt him…”

“I gave him the timeline…if he doesn’t answer, I’m done and I’ll move on,” Sonnen said from his Fuel TV analyst’s seat this week.

When Fuel TV called up Silva for comment on Sonnen’s challenge, Wanderlei took things from the world of Twitter to a much weirder and more frightening place. First off, Helwani said that Silva “laughed uncontrollably” — which, if you’ve ever heard him laugh, is scary enough – before adding that, “Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been too nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight. Not just fight. I want to hurt him…”

When that kind of statement comes from someone with as much blood on his hands as Wanderlei, it rings a little too true for comfort. Silva doesn’t deal with Twitter beefs, only lifelong blood feuds. Chael’s best lines are stolen from professional wrestlers and said far away from his foes, usually on Twitter or during awkward Sportscenter interviews. Wandy’s words go straight into folklore, much like his vicious KO’s fill countless tribute videos, while Sonnen basically fights big bouts for the sole purpose of bolstering his opponent’s’ highlight reel. Simply put, if Chael Sonnen is a gangster in the movie of his life, Wanderlei Silva is Jason fucking Voorhees. Not that I have a dog in this fight or anything.

More importantly, we all know how their first mano-a-mano encounter went down.

What do you say, nation? Do you want to see Chael talk himself into yet another rematch with someone who made him say uncle the first time around? And if so, aren’t there other rematches that Sonnen should get to first, before taking on and getting demolished by MMA royalty?

Personally, I think a rematch better suited for Sonnen is Terry Martin. Yes, that Terry Martin. Sonnen may have been beaten, exhausted and unable to stand on his own two feet without support after losing to Martin back in 2004, but at least it was a much more competitive exchange than his first showdown with Wanderlei.

[UPDATE] We have received reports that Jeremy Horn was in Los Angeles yesterday and, by virtue of being within thirty miles of the Fuel TV studio, forced Sonnen into submission. Sonnen screamed out in pain for all to hear and then denied having given up to the unknowing Horn, who was enjoying a hot dog on the Venice Beach boardwalk at the time of the win, the 90th of his career. Horn’s fourth career stoppage win over Sonnen is being listed via triangle choke at :59 of the third round.

– Elias Cepeda

UFC ‘From All Angles’ Preview: Anderson Silva Is the Black Dana White [?], And Chael Sonnen No-Showed That Barbecue [VIDEO]

Tonight, at 9:30pm EST on Fuel TV, a taped sit-down interview with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will premiere. As often as we get to see the champ knock heads around inside the cage, we don’t often get longer, in-depth interviews with him, and certainly not in English.

Karyn Bryant‘s interview with Silva tonight looks to be in English and promises to be in-depth — hopefully much more so than the fun stuff shown in the teaser video above. We’re certainly not complaining any time we get to hear Anderson’s high-pitched jokes in English, however.

Silva says, without much explanation, that he’s the “black Dana White,” for one. Silva manages to get his back-handed barbs in, per usual, and it’s a good time.

“Sometimes Dana [is] cranky. ‘Come on man, smile!'” Silva says.

“I have my problems for Dana but I love him.”

Awww.

Anderson has love for his favorite punching bag, Chael Sonnen as well — although he and his family have given up hope that Sonnen will show up to Silva’s house for that barbecue the Spider invited him to.

“No go,” said a disappointed Silva when asked if Chael ever came by to grub up with his clan. “No go. I wait for Chael for long, long time. My wife talk to me, ‘hey, Chael no come?’ [I told her] ‘No baby. Baby, no.'”

See more of Anderson Silva’s sensitive side revealed tonight on Fuel TV.

– Elias Cepeda

Silva says, without much explanation, that he’s the “black Dana White,” for one. Silva manages to get his back-handed barbs in, per usual, and it’s a good time.

“Sometimes Dana [is] cranky. ‘Come on man, smile!’” Silva says.

“I have my problems for Dana but I love him.”

Awww.

See more of Anderson Silva’s sensitive side revealed tonight on Fuel TV.

– Elias Cepeda

Meanwhile, In Television: FX to End Sports Programming, FUEL TV to Become ‘Fox Sports 2?

(We blame you for this mess, TUF 15. In fact, we’re going to blame you for a lot of things moving forward, so just get used to it.)

Great news, Potato Nation! If you thought having the average UFC card spread across three channels on different networks and a social networking device to boot wasn’t complicated enough, it has recently been announced that not only will FX be cancelling all of their sports programming going forward, but the FUEL and SPEED networks will be transformed into sports-based FOX networks to compensate for this change. Those expecting to catch a night of free fights in the future without an Arabic scroll, the flame of Anor, and the ability to answer the bridge troll’s questions three should prepare themselves accordingly. The news was passed along earlier today by Sports Media Watch:

News Corporation will convert the Fuel cable network into general sports channel ‘Fox Sports 2′ this August, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. The launch of Fox Sports 2 will coincide with the conversion of Speed Channel to Fox Sports 1.

Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 will be the chief outlets for News Corp. sports programming. FX, which aired college football coverage the past two seasons and previously televised baseball and NASCAR, will no longer carry sporting events. Fox Soccer is expected to be converted into a general entertainment channel.

(We blame you for this mess, TUF 15. In fact, we’re going to blame you for a lot of things moving forward, so just get used to it.)

News Corporation will convert the Fuel cable network into general sports channel ‘Fox Sports 2′ this August, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. The launch of Fox Sports 2 will coincide with the conversion of Speed Channel to Fox Sports 1.

Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 will be the chief outlets for News Corp. sports programming. FX, which aired college football coverage the past two seasons and previously televised baseball and NASCAR, will no longer carry sporting events. Fox Soccer is expected to be converted into a general entertainment channel.

There hasn’t been any word yet on how this will affect the UFC or their “hit” reality show The Ultimate Fighter, but we would imagine that the majority of UFC programming will be aired on Fox Sports 2. In either case, this change will in turn make each individual UFC event even more difficult to distinguish from one another (Is Faber/Barao 2 going to be on UFC on Fox Sports 2 IV or UFC on FOX Sports 2 VI: Johnson vs. Dodson III?), but honestly, we should have seen this coming when the UFC decided that they were too good to be aired on the same network as Manswers, 1000 Ways to Die, and The Machine Gun Car Crash Titties Kerplow!! Variety Hour.

We will keep you informed as to how these changes will affect the average cable user when the details are made available, but suffice it to say, if you have Comcast, you’ll probably be up shit creek without a paddle. In other words, nothing will have changed.

Ugh. I’m already yearning for the days when I could watch a juiced up Brazilian demolish a cocky Brit without having to jump through hoops to do so.

–J. Jones

UFC on Fuel TV 3- Post-Fight Recap

With his victory over Dustin Poirier last night at UFC on Fuel TV 3, Chan Sung Jung established himself as an elite fighter in the 135 pound division. He didn’t turn the fight into an.

With his victory over Dustin Poirier last night at UFC on Fuel TV 3, Chan Sung Jung established himself as an elite fighter in the 135 pound division. He didn’t turn the fight into an impossible to score brawl. He didn’t catch Poirier with an early punch. He was clearly the better fighter from the opening bell until the fourth round when he finished with a D’arce choke after dropping Poirier with an uppercut followed by a flying knee. Poirier did well with his jab and may have won the third round with it but Jung was always the more dangerous fighter and never seemed to be in any danger. The only weakness Jung showed was in his stamina as he appeared to tire toward the end of the third round. He mentioned before the fight that he struggled with the weight cut. He and his team will need to figure out a way to improve on that process to allow him to maximize his stamina for five round fights in the future. But aside from that, his performance makes it impossible to consider him as anything other than one of the top featherweights in the world. The win puts him no more than one fight away from a title shot and at the moment, he looks to be one of the few fighters in the division willing to face Jose Aldo. Jung now has consecutive victories over top ten featherweights in Mark Hominick and Poirier and adding that to his entertainment value and marketability makes him the most likely candidate to face Aldo, provided he defeats Eric Koch at UFC 149 in July.

Donald Cerrone didn’t have to prove that he was one of the best in the world in his weight class because we already knew he was. But he did remind us just in case we had forgotten by dominating Jeremy Stephens for fifteen minutes. By the second round, Cerrone seemed to be playing with Stephens and treating the fight more like a sparring match. He used his kicks to maintain his reach advantage and Stephens was never able to close the distance enough to land punches. Cerrone repeatedly battered his opponent with punching combinations punctuated with brutal leg kicks. By the third round, he was even able to land a knockdown with a low kick. Stephens hung in the fight and continued to throw punches, which if they landed, could have done some damage. But he couldn’t get inside Cerrone’s reach and often led himself into counter knees to the body. Cerrone belongs in the title discussion but with Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar scheduled to fight in August and Nate Diaz already next in line, Cerrone is going to have to continue to fight through the absurd gauntlet of the UFC lightweight division if he wants a shot at the belt.

In other action on the card, Amir Sadollah earned a win with a questionable split decision over Jorge Lopez. Neither fighter was overly impressive and both had chances to assert themselves and earn a clear victory. Because they did not, the judges were left with a difficult fight to score and in that scenario, the fighters have only themselves to blame if they lose. Lopez won the first round and Sadollah the second with the third being the round in question. Two of the judges gave it to Sadollah based on his striking in the middle of the round and that was enough to earn him the win. Despite the win, Sadollah will need to bring more to the cage in his next fight if he hopes to fulfill his promise as an Ultimate Fighter winner.

Yves Jabouin dominated Jeff Hougland and did everything except finish the fight. Hougland showed a strong heart and could have allowed the fight to be stopped multiple times but forced to Jabouin to earn the stoppage, which Jabouin was unable to do. Jabouin dropped Hougland in the first round with a spinning back kick to the body but was unable to finish. He repeated the feat in the third round with a left hand to the jaw but once again, Hougland fought through and got back to his feet. Basically, Jabouin did exactly what one would expect from him when facing an overmatched opponent.

In the slugfest of the night, Igor Pokrajac defeated Fabio Maldonado via unanimous decision. Pokrajac showed growth building on his knockout of Krzysztof Soszynski. He made the fight competitive on the feet landing knees from the clinch and punches on the outside. When necessary, he mixed in takedowns and controlled Maldonado on the ground. Had he simply taken Maldonado down and kept the fight on the ground, the fight would not have been nearly as close. His willingness to stand with a professional boxer could have cost him the fight but he managed to absorb the punishment and earn the victory.

In the main card opener, Tom Lawlor knocked out Jason MacDonald early in the first round. Both fighters started aggressively with MacDonald shooting for a takedown. Lawlor stuffed it and landed a left hand to the chin, a right to the temple, another right on the ground and the fight was over. The knockout gave Lawlor a much needed win and an opportunity to build some momentum going forward.

– Alan Wells