UFC on FOX 5 Ratings: 4.4 Million Viewers Gives Network 83 Percent Increase

UFC ON FOX 5 RATINGS: 4.4 MILLION VIEWERS GIVES NETWORK 83 PERCENT INCREASE
BY MMAJUNKIE.COM STAFF ON DEC 11, 2012 AT 3:05 PM ET

Saturday's UFC on FOX 5 event was a ratings success for FOX.

The broadcast, officials on Tuesday announced, averaged 4.4 million viewers on Saturday night. That total is an 83 percent increase over UFC on FOX 4 in August.

The event also scored the third-highest ratings numbers for prime-time programs among men 18-34 behind NBC's Sunday night NFL game and "The Simpsons" on FOX. The show was No. 4 among men 18-49.

The event peaked with 5.7 million viewers during the main event, which saw Benson Henderson defend his title with a five-round unanimous decision win over Nate Diaz. Also on the card, Alexander Gustafsson dominated former light heavyweight champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, welterweight contender Rory MacDonald dominated former two-division champ B.J. Penn and Matt Brown, to open the main card on FOX, had a highlight-reel knockout of Mike Swick.

Among programs UFC on FOX 5 beat among adults 18-49 were CBS' "48 Hours," "The Borrowers" on ABC and "The American Giving Awards" show on NBC.

UFC on FOX 5 took place at Seattle's KeyArena and featured a lightweight title fight in the main event. It was the first title fight for a UFC on FOX broadcast since the heavyweight title was on the line at UFC on FOX 1 in November 2011. That was the UFC's debut on the network, and that, combined with the most prestigious title in combat sports being on the line helped FOX to 5.7 million viewers.

UFC on FOX 2 this past January averaged 4.7 million viewers before a drop off for UFC on FOX 3 and 4, which each averaged 2.4 million viewers, until Saturday's show picked things back up.

According to figures FOX officials released, the Brown-Swick fight averaged 3.6 million viewers; MacDonald-Penn 4.3 million; and Gustafsson-Rua 4.5 million.

The all-time UFC on FOX ratings include:

UFC on FOX 1 (Velasquez vs. Dos Santos) ratings: 5.7 million viewers
UFC on FOX 2 (Evans vs. Davis) ratings: 4.7 million
UFC on FOX 3 (Diaz vs. Miller) ratings: 2.4 million
UFC on FOX 4 (Rua vs. Vera) ratings: 2.4 million
UFC on FOX 5 (Henderson vs. Diaz): 4.4 million
UFC on FOX 6 is scheduled for Jan. 26 at Chicago's United Center and again features a title fight as flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson defends his belt for the first time against top contender John Dodson. The card also features the return of former champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in a fight against Glover Teixeira and a top contenders fight between lightweights Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis.