LOS ANGELES – UFC® ON FUEL TV 8: SILVA VS. STANN on Saturday, March 2, shattered several of the network’s viewership records including most-watched program, most-watched day and most-watched prime time ever, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) bout featuring the thrilling fight-of-the-night knockout victory by the legendary Wanderlei Silva over “The All American” Brian Stann averaged 485,000 viewers, making it the most-watched show ever on FUEL TV, eclipsing the previous record of 255,000 set on Jan. 19, 2013 for the UFC® ON FX 7 PRELIMS by +90% on total viewers (485,000 vs. 255,000) and +89% among M18-49 (282,000 vs. 149,000).
The live, action-filled three-hour program peaked from 10:15 PM ET – 10:30 PM ET with 542,000 viewers, the most ever on the network by +65% percent (previous record was 328,000 for UFC® ON FX 7 PRELIMS). On the day, FUEL TV averaged 131,000 viewers, up +524% vs. the Mar ‘12 Saturday average, and blowing away the prior total day record set on Feb. 16, 2013 (72,000 viewers) by +82% percent.
FUEL TV also set new high marks among several day parts:
· The network recorded its best night of prime time ever with an average of 237,000 viewers, up +597% vs. the Mar. 2012 Saturday average;
· Its top late night with an average of 339,000 viewers, an increase of +505% vs. the Mar. 2012 Saturday average; the previous high mark was 125,000 total viewers set on June 17, 2012.
Kicking off the record-setting evening, FUEL TV’s UFC PREFIGHT SHOW recorded its largest audience ever with an average of 250,000 viewers and 152,000 M18-49, up +247% on total viewers and +198% on M18-49 over the previous record set after UFC ON FUEL TV 2 on Apr. 14, 2012. Overall, the show was the third most-watched program on total viewers and M18-49 in network history.
After the fight, the UFC POSTFIGHT SHOW was also the network’s most-watched ever, delivering an average of 219,000 viewers and 154,000 M18-49, up +66% on total viewers above the previous record set during UFC On FUEL TV 1 on Feb. 15, 2012 and +66% on M18-49 from UFC ON FUEL TV 2 on Apr. 14, 2012. It ranks as the fourth most-watched program on total viewers and second most-watched among M18-49 of all-time.
Saturday’s program was the eighth UFC® fight telecast on FUEL TV. UFC® coverage continues on March 15 with the live Weigh-in and Postfight shows for UFC® 158: ST-PIERRE VS. DIAZ. FUEL TV’s next live UFC® fight is Saturday, April 6, with UFC® ON FUEL TV 9: GUSTAFSSON VS. MOUSASI.
