Fedor Emelianenko vs Brett Rogers finishes eighth among top ten most watched fights in US history

by Jesse Holland on Nov 13, 2009 2:36 PM EST Comment 25 comments

There has been a lot of talk about the ratings success (or failure, depending on what side of the promotional fence you're on) after the Strikeforce/CBS prime time debut of "Fedor vs. Rogers" from the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on November 7.

The network revealed the final numbers on Tuesday for the main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers. The two heavyweights slung leather in front of 5.46 million viewers while drawing key demographic ratings of 3.5/10 in men 25-54, 3.3/11 in men 18-49 and 3.1/12 in men 18-34, 2.5/7 rating in adults 25-54, 2.4/8 in adults 18-49 and 2.4/09 in adults 18-34.

There comes a point when those numbers start to lose their value after chopping them down to the tiniest of categories. Fortunately our colleague Ivan Trembow has added a little clarity to the situation with a comprehensive list of the most watched fights in television history.

No demographics, no grading curve, just cold, hard numbers. Two guys who went toe-to-toe and how many people tuned in to see it. Remember, this is LIVE broadcasts in stateside homes.

Check out the top ten after the jump.

Most-Watched Individual Fights on Live Event Broadcasts in U.S. MMA History

Based on Average Number of Viewers using Minute-by-Minute Ratings

1. EliteXC on CBS (5/31/2008): Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson: 7.281 million viewers (Aired from 11:27 PM to 11:40 PM)

2. UFC: The Final Chapter on Spike TV (10/10/2006): Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock: 6.524 million viewers (Aired from 9:42 PM to 9:45 PM)

3. EliteXC on CBS (10/4/2008): Seth Petruzelli vs. Kimbo Slice: 6.451 million viewers (Aired from 11:08 PM to 11:08 PM)

4. EliteXC on CBS (5/31/2008): Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith: 5.867 million viewers (Aired from 10.39 PM to 10:57 PM)

5. UFC 75 on Spike TV (9/8/2007): Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson: 5.811 million viewers (Aired from 11:29 PM to 12:03 AM)

6. EliteXC on CBS (5/31/2008): Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young: 5.508 million viewers (Aired from 10:09 PM to 10:17 PM)

7. UFC 75 on Spike TV (9/8/2007): Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill: 5.475 million viewers (Aired from 10:41 PM to 11:06 PM)

8. Strikeforce on CBS (11/7/2009): Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers: 5.467 million viewers (Aired from 11:01 PM to 11:09 PM)

9. EliteXC on CBS (10/4/2008): Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley: 5.338 million viewers (Aired from 10:34 PM to 10:44 PM)

10. EliteXC on CBS (10/4/2008): Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold: 5.171 million viewers (Aired from 9:45 PM to 9:59 PM)

Those are just the top ten. For the complete list of the top 30 fights click here.

Any surprises? It was interesting to see Shamrock vs. Ortiz bring in so many viewers. It will be even more interesting to see how Ortiz fares as a headliner again at UFC 106 when he takes on Forrest Griffin. Anyone want to take a guess as to the number of pay-per-views they'll sell?

And last but not least, who can knock Kimbo Slice from the top spot? Perhaps Kimbo himself, if he indeed fights Houston Alexander at the Dec. 5 Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 10 Finale.

Stay tuned.

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Read More: fedor, brett rogers, ratings, strikeforce, cbs

Comments

Horrible fights in that top ten…

Talking to you is like having phone sex with a deaf girl...

by Chief Warrant Officer on Nov 13, 2009 2:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree!!

by N.Mamone on Nov 13, 2009 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It just goes to show..

what a horrible job Strikeforce did of advertising this event. I mean I understand the Kimbo anomaly but more people tuned in to watch Smith/Lawler and Bisping/Hamill than the consensus GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT OF ALL TIME! Coker needs to fire his entire publicity team.

by (shonuff) on Nov 13, 2009 2:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Funny how Dana claims that they beat every other show with rankings when they got beat by Kimbo LOL

by N.Mamone on Nov 13, 2009 2:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think what's so amazing

Is despite CBS being Network and Spike being cable, the UFC still managed to hang with those high numbers.

I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
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by funnytiger on Nov 13, 2009 2:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

yeah but now almost everyone has cable or something and its not like the ppv hung with them that would be something.

by roy1 on Nov 13, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You do realize that the # of households CBS is in by FAR eclipses

the # of households Spike is in, right? I mean… that’s kind of a given isn’t it?

I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
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by funnytiger on Nov 13, 2009 4:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Way more people watch CBS. You throw a UFC show on CBS and my god the ratings would be through the roof. so you are correct.

by ElStIkO on Nov 13, 2009 5:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It would be pretty damn awesome...

I'm the kind of girl who loves to watch a GOOD fight!
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by funnytiger on Nov 13, 2009 5:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Didnt the Forest vs Bonner fight hit something like 8 million viewers?

by Fokman on Nov 13, 2009 3:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

So are we not counting Kimbo SLice vs. Roy Nelson? Because that’d be fourth (6.1 million)

by CrowCrucifix on Nov 13, 2009 3:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Basic cable vs. Premium cable...

I would be interested to see how the numbers on this list would change if the UFC was on a major network that didn’t requre an upgrade fee (ie. Spike TV in Ontario, Canada)

I know alot of people that have cable, but not the upgraded package and therefore can’t see Spike TV… but FOX, CBS, etc are available on the basic package.

I would also say that the “Kimbo-nomenon” has skewed these #’s quite a bit due to his popularity with the “newer” or “non-MMA” fans…. not that there is anything wrong with that. The more MMA out there, the happier us real fans are.

I just can’t stop laughing at all the spots that Elite-XC has on this list…… jokes!

by Dumbdancing on Nov 13, 2009 3:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Kimbo = $$

With out a doubt Kimbo = rankings his fight on TUF peaked at 5.2 on spike!! like him or not he brings in fans that normally don’t watch MMA and it would be smart for Dana to put him on a card with a guy like Brock or GSP,Rua …whoever do get some of those fans hooked. The best thing Dana can do is get him fighting when the UFC gets a network deal done with him and a few top names they will destroy any records as far as the numbers they put on Spike that’s fairly amazing! Even more amazing is TUF the night Kimbo fought!
October 1, 2009, New York , NY– Spike TV’s" The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights" is the undisputed ratings champ on Wednesday nights. The most recent episode of the tenth season of "The Ultimate Fighter" drew 5.3 million viewers, peaking at a staggering 6.1 million viewers on Wednesday, September 30 (10:00pm-11:00pm ET/PT). Featuring a fight between contestants Kimbo Slice and Roy Nelson, the telecast ranks as the most-watched episode of an original series in the six-year history of the channel* and the most-watched program of any kind in Men 18-34 and Men 18-49.

by Puck Head on Nov 13, 2009 3:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Kimbo is a ratings king

Thats why White wants him. The finale ratings will be huge with him fighting Alexander. Might even beat out Fedor even on Spike tv.

by ElStIkO on Nov 13, 2009 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that would something

I wonder how many fights Kimbo is going to have to lose before he starts losing his appeal if he hasn’t already. But if he hasn’t even after the Alexander fight the UFC’s first network show is guaranteed to have him on the card the numbers do not lie he’s a easy money maker and guarantee rating success the UFC needs to get him for everything he is worth earlier than later I can’t see him winning a fight in the UFC unless they bring in some lesser talent like Hershal Walker LOL.

by Puck Head on Nov 13, 2009 6:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If Alexander slugs like he will then Kimbo has a decent shot. Against a more rounded opponent his chances become slim

by ElStIkO on Nov 13, 2009 6:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Kimbo

If Kimbo and Houston fight, and with the promoting by the UFC. I think the Finale is going to get the most viewers.

by LaBeast on Nov 13, 2009 7:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hamill also fights Jones and Edgar is on the card also i think. Solid

by ElStIkO on Nov 13, 2009 9:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't see the big deal

did they lose money by showing it for free?

by champ91 on Nov 13, 2009 7:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No SF Benefit...

The only people that make cash from showing fights for free is CBS, not SF. Networks are there to make money, not give precious air time away. Samething goes in the music industry.

by UFC Champ on Nov 13, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i bet the numbers woulda been highter if shields vs miller wasnt a 25 minute grapple fest

"I’m not going to stop yelling because that would mean, I lost the fight!"-Kenny Powers
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by ekc on Nov 13, 2009 8:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Shields-Mayhem was a grappling clinic, my favourite fight of the night. I don’t understand how you can call yourself a fan of mixed martial arts when you bash a great grappling fight, I can understand preferring striking over grappling but if you don’t like wrestling or BJJ at all then I don’t understand why you watch the sport at all.

by David W-S on Nov 13, 2009 9:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agree with David W-S

i thought the Shields match was excellent, i wasnt a big fan of when during round 4&5 Sheilds went for a takedown and really didnt do much on top and seemed like he was stalling to compensate for the fact that Mayhem really outshone him on cardio

by SherCat on Nov 14, 2009 12:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

SUPERB TOP TO BOTTOM

The whole card was excellent. In fact, it was one of the best, top to bottom, I have ever seen. The UFC needs to get its act together in the heavyweight division. “The Pudgy Russian”, as my wife has coined Fedor, is the King. Lesner and everyone else are only wannabees. What the stats above do not take into account is M-1’s rights to broadcast the fight in Russia etc. Lesner is the UFC champion. TPR is the undisputed champion of the planet.

by SmartyBeardo on Nov 14, 2009 9:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs