UFC 217 Prelims Draw 1.276 Million Viewers to FS1; Bellator 186 Attracts 508K to Spike

The UFC 217 prelims attracted an audience of 1.276 million to Fox Sports 1 on Saturday, the best audience for a preliminary card on the network this year.

Ratings figures were released by ShowBuzz Daily. The preliminary card was successful despite beginning on FS2 while the college football game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State concluded on FS1. The prelim card drew a 0.54 share in the 18-to-49 demographic.

The UFC 217 prelims were topped by a lightweight duel between James Vick and Joseph Duffy, which Vick won via technical knockout in the second round. The bouts served as a lead-in to one of the year’s most anticipated pay-per-view offerings, which was headlined by a middleweight clash between Georges St. Pierre and Michael Bisping.

Meanwhile, Bellator 186 drew 508,000 viewers to Spike on Friday night and a 0.18 share in the 18-to-49 demographic. Bellator 186 took place on the Penn State University campus and saw Ryan Bader retain his light heavyweight crown with a stoppage of Linton Vassell in the evening’s main event.

The card surpassed the California-based promotion’s last offering, as Bellator 185 – topped by Gegard Mousasi vs. Alexander Shlemenko – averaged 476,000 viewers on Spike, the organization’s third-lowest rating for an event this year.