Ratings for Ultimate Fighter 10 debut episode on Spike TV a 'knockout'

by MMAmania.com on Sep 17, 2009 9:14 PM EDT

Kimbo Slice and the band of 15 other fighters tapped for the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) made ratings history for Spike TV last night (Sept. 19), drawing a record-setting 5.3 rating (1.5 million) among men between the ages of 18 to 34 and 4.3 among men between the ages of 18 to 49 (2.4 million).

When all was said and done 4.1 million total viewers tuned in to TUF 10 for a 2.9 household rating. According to a press release, it was the most watched episode in the series history, as well as network history for an original, smashing the previous record of previous record of 3.4 million viewers for "The Joe Schmo Show" season finale in 2003.

Those gaudy numbers were apparently tops on television, besting "The Jay Leno Show" and the "America's Got Talent" season finale. Spike TV President Kevin Kay attributes the early success to clever casting.

Here's a snip:

"The intriguing cast of ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights' has true mass appeal, and the numbers show that this sport is not just for a niche audience anymore."

TUF 10 features perhaps the most talented cast to compete on the mixed martial arts reality series, including a former IFL champion, several NFL players and a few UFC veterans. However, the inclusion of YouTube.com sensation, Kimbo Slice, is more than likely the key contributor that pushed the ratings over the edge.

Spike TV has certainly set the bar very high coming out of the gate. Can the series sustain the momentum over the next several weeks as viewers at home wait impatiently to see Slice get called out or will the luster wear off sooner rather than later?

Let's hear it, Maniacs!

To check out our detailed recap of TUF 10 episode one click here.

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Comments

Introvert is going to be very upset again!

by JV on Sep 17, 2009 10:38 PM EDT reply actions

That’s funny. I was just going to make a similar comment. This kind of news really upsets him.

He usually berates mania for some sort of UFC bias and throws out a few expletives about Dana White.

by Hamish Campbell on Sep 18, 2009 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Kimbo needs to fight ASAP and win to keep the ratings up!!

by getrawbc on Sep 18, 2009 6:49 AM EDT up reply actions

how will that keep ratings up? Everyone will then tune out because Kimbo is out!
Half the viewers won’t be watching anymore for two reasons, the first fight was boring and that cut was huge!

by kevin on Sep 18, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Kevin if he wins, how is he out? A lot of casual fans still think Kimbo is the toughest guy on the planet. They are rooting for him. I have friends who don’t follow MMA but ask me all the time because they know I do, “Hows Kimbo doing? I like that guy.” If he wins they want to see if he keeps winning. If he loses then they may tune out because he’s not gonna fight anymore on the show.

by getrawbc on Sep 18, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions

By “out” I mean not fighting anymore!

by kevin on Sep 18, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions

TUF 10 = Shark Jumping

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Sep 17, 2009 10:49 PM EDT reply actions

jumping the shark how when the season opener was a smash!

by TRUTH on Sep 17, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions

When an MMA show has a special intro for a contestant that is not a mixed martial artist, it has jumped the shark.

by El Mexicutioner, formerly The Mexicutioner on Sep 17, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

the only thing that was smashed was abes face. seriously that guy is possibly the worst fighter to ever have been cast for the show. i was so disappointed and perturbed at that episode. it was such a waste of televison time. he just layed there the entire time. i would have been more entertained at watching the discovery channel. such a let down for the first episode. hope things pick up soon

by mrc on Sep 17, 2009 11:00 PM EDT reply actions

A SMASH IN RATINGS!!!

by TRUTH on Sep 17, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed fight sucked
I cant wait till they start getting rid of the less talented fighters
On a side note it really is intresting to see how far and popular this sport has become. Those numbers are fantastic.
WOW bring on CBS Fedor and Miller fights – free. I remember just a few years ago trying to download fights and wait so patiently for ufcmania to update their page lmao!

by BudsyKind on Sep 17, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

They need to bring guys like Abe, Danny Abbadi, Andy Wang, Monstah Lobstah and some of the other really terrible TUF guys for an All-Suck TUF reunion show.

by PW on Sep 18, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions

The guy that layed on top of him wasn’t impressive either.

by Steve on Sep 18, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

The ratings aren’t going to last long if they keep having fights like the one last night. That was like watching paint dry.

by naturalshadow on Sep 17, 2009 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

that fight suczzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sorry fell asleep dam it sucked

by markg on Sep 17, 2009 11:11 PM EDT reply actions

People are going to still watch because people want to see Kimbo fight. Rampage and the UFC are not stupid. They are going to wait till the last possible match to put Kimbo out. When Kimbo does fight that is going to be a HUGE episode and the UFC is going to milk it for all its worth…I can see the headlines now – “The fighter every UFC fan has been waiting for to fight will finally fight – Kimbo Slice v” whoever.

I’m gonna watch the whole season thorough and see how it goes. I can’t wait to see how some of them do. I’m already surprised by some things but thats great.

by Guz on Sep 17, 2009 11:28 PM EDT reply actions

well yea ofc were still gonna continue to watch. the ufc knws wat theyre doing by keeping kimbo from fighting early. and thats y wwe will tune in every week. but it is just going to frustrate a lot of ppl if we have to see 7 or 8 or however many episodes of fights like last nights.

on a side note…i dnt knw wat im lookin forward to more. kimbo finally fighting…or rampage beating the hell of that door lol

by mrc on Sep 17, 2009 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions

you nailed it right on the head I bet they will anounce the episode he fights in with a commercial saying just what you said

by Nor Cal Mexican on Sep 18, 2009 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions

If I’m Rampage, I would throw Kimbo at the guy wih the worst ground game from Rashad’s team and get Kimbo a win for my team before Rashad puts him against a grappler who will pwn him. Then again, if I’m Rampage I’m also clinically retarded, so that’s not going to happen.

by Jeremyjackson on Sep 18, 2009 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions

on a side note….i dnt knw wat im lookin forward to more. kimbo finally fighting…or rampage beating the hell of that door lol

by mrc on Sep 18, 2009 1:05 AM EDT reply actions

Anybody know where I can watch this episode online?

by shonuff on Sep 18, 2009 1:54 AM EDT reply actions

yea rampage makes fun of rashad for getting ko’d by machida yet he says nothing about him being too chicken shit to even get in the octagon with machida when he was guaranteed a title shot…

its all fun and games when u clown a guy for getting ko’d by a guy you aint got the balls to even fight

by HellaHectic on Sep 18, 2009 2:21 AM EDT reply actions

The dude’s cut looked like the San Andreas fault on his head. Nasty gash. Not the best fight selection by ’Page putting a guy with NO takedown defense against a wrestler.

by sudnvictory on Sep 18, 2009 4:20 AM EDT reply actions

That fight was a joke. I love this show, and i will always watch it, as watching a shitty fight is better than no fight at all……but i must say the talent for this show is really starting to get watered down. If you look at the graduating classes of this show, Season 1 is hands down the winner in terms of the success of its graduates. Season 2 would be ranked 2nd. It just seems that the talent level is getting lower and lower. Perhaps they should think about 1 season per year instead of 2 seasons……..

by kg on Sep 18, 2009 12:30 PM EDT reply actions