MMA Payout has learned through a Nielsen source that Saturday night’s TUF 3 Brazil Finale drew an average viewership of 609,000 viewers. It is down slightly from the last UFC live event on FS1.
TUF 3 featured Stipe Miocic taking on Fabio Maldonado in the main event. Junior dos Santos was to face Miocic but was replaced due to injury. The last live event on FS1, and the last on a Saturday night, UFC Fight Night 40 on May 10 drew 655,000 viewers (DVR +3 735K)
The event on FS1 competed with the NBA Playoffs as well as HBO Boxing in certain markets with the much anticipated Carl Froch-George Groves rematch and Nonito Donaire returning to the ring.
Payout Perspective:
I am of the opinion that this is a good rating considering the amount of combat sports that were on for Saturday. Not only was there a UFC event earlier in the day, but there were at least two other boxing events on Saturday. The TUF 3 Brazil Finale had lesser known fighters and the card was hurt with the scratch of JDS. It also was a 3 hour plus show that felt like it dragged on which probably made even the biggest UFC fan weary.