TUF 7 Rating - Week 7

This week's episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 1.0 rating (1.3 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 0.88 0.99, 0.93, and 1.19. The key demographic numbers were a 1.09 in M18-49 and a 1.18 in M18-34.

For the season TUF 7 is averaging a 1.07 household rating and a 1.6 in M18-34. Those numbers are down -4.7% and up 6.6% from last season respectively.

TUF 8 Coaches Announced

Today the UFC and Spike officially announced Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir as the coaches of season eight of The Ultimate Fighter. Production begins in late May and the entire cast will be announced in early September.

TUF 7 Rating - Week 6

This week's episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 1.0 rating (1.2 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 0.93, 1.1, 0.96, and 1.06. The key demographic numbers were a 1.20 in M18-49 and a 1.34 in M18-34.

TUF 7 Rating - Week 5

MMAPayout.com has learned that this week's episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 0.9 rating (1.2 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 0.84, 0.91, 0.92, and 0.98. In the key demographic numbers were a 1.11 in M18-49 and a 1.34 in M18-34.

That is the lowest number is series history and continues this season's downward trend. However, the program was facing competition from the NBA playoffs.

TUF 7 Rating - Week 4

MMAPayout.com has learned that the fourth episode of the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter drew a 1.0 rating (1.3 million viewers). The program drew quarter hour ratings of 0.94, 0.88, 1.00, and 1.06. The demographic breakdowns were 1.49 in M18-34 and a 1.25 in M18-49.

The quarter hours actually average out to a 0.97, which rounds to a 1.0, but the series is very close to breaking the 1.0 support discussed on MMAPayout.com last week. The number is also under the 1.5 million viewers Spike averaged in prime time in the first quarter.

TUF 7 Rating - Week 3

MMAPayout.com has learned that the third episode of season seven of The Ultimate Fighter drew a 1.1 rating (an average of 1.5 million viewers). The program drew quarter hour ratings of 0.99, 1.08, 1.12, and 1.25. The demographic breakdowns were 1.6 in M18-34 and a 1.4 in M18-49.

The Ultimate Fighter 7 Rating Analysis

The Ultimate Fighter Cumulative Ratings:

Season		Overall		% Change		M18-34		% Change
1		1.6		---		2.2		---
2		1.4		-12.5%		2.5		13.6%
3		1.69		20.7%		2.9		15.6%
4		1.24		-26.6%		2.0		-30.1%
5		1.18		-4.8%		1.6		-20.3%
6		1.12		-5.1%		1.5		-4.3%
Average		1.37		-5.55%		2.13		-5.1%

The Ultimate Fighter is dying and everyone knows it. That's not a knock on anyone, diminishing returns is the reality of television--particularly reality television. The UFC and Spike know it, that's why they're readying its replacement, a live weekly fight series which is scheduled to debut in 2010. However, under terms of the contract extension signed last year, the series is scheduled to continue through 2011 with five more seasons.

To their credit, the powers that be at the UFC and Spike shook things up this year with the new win and you're in the house twist, resulting in the first two episodes featuring 8 fights each. The fight quarter hour is always the highest rated quarter of the show and the conventional thinking is/was that more fights equal better ratings.

That hasn't been borne out this season, with the wall to wall action of the first two episodes drawing a 1.3 and 1.2 respectively. The season premiere's 1.3 rating is the lowest in the series' history. The 1.2 rating for episode two is the second worst rated week two in series history, despite featuring eight qualifying fights.

Those early returns don't seem to bode well for the ratings for season seven. On average, there is a 32.1% decline in the overall rating from episode one to episode twelve. If that pattern holds true this season, the rating for episode twelve would be in the 0.9 range, which would tie the series' worst rated episode (episode twelve of season two which aired outside of its regular time slot).

Of course it should be noted that in looking at the weekly ratings from the past six seasons, it is clear that if TUF were a stock it would have strong support at the 1.0 rating. The critical question this season is will that baseline number hold? If it does, the series can continue as a status quo success. If it doesn't, we may be witnessing the beginning of the end of the TUF era.

TUF 7 Ratings - Week 2

MMAPayout.com has learned that the second episode of season seven of The Ultimate Fighter drew a 1.2 rating (an average of 1.4 million viewers). The program drew quarter hour ratings of 1.02, 1.17, 1.17, and 1.27. The demographic breakdowns were 1.59 in M18-49, 0.98 in P18-49, and 2.01 in M18-34.

The overall number is off roughly 7.7% from last week's season debut. That is good news for the series as the previous six seasons have averaged a 12.5% drop between weeks one and two. However, further erosion is likely next week now that the win and you're in twist. featuring 16 fights in the first two episodes, has played out.

TUF 8 Casting Call

An open casting call for The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 will take place Thursday, April 10 at 9:00 AM in Boston at the Sheraton Hotel. Season 8 will feature lightweights (155lbs) and light heavyweights (205lbs). Dana White (UFC President and host), Craig Piligian (Executive Producer), and Brian Diamond (Senior Vice President, Sports & Specials, Spike TV) will oversee tryouts.

Interested applicants (must be over 21) are encouraged to sign up in advance at UFC.com or Spike.com.

Press Release: TapouT Named Official Apparel Sponsor of TUF 7

The cutting-edge clothing line, TapouT, has officially been named the first-ever exclusive apparel sponsor for "The Ultimate Fighter," Spike TV’s longest running and most successful original series. The first six seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV were seen by 101.1 million viewers (36% of the U.S. population).

TapouT will receive exclusive apparel integration throughout all 12 episodes of season seven, which premieres on Wednesday, April 2 at 10:00pm ET/PT. The deal also includes signage in the ring and on the walls in the Ultimate Fighting Championship Training Center , where much of the show is taped. TapouT commercials will also run throughout the season of the "The Ultimate Fighter" and in 13 episodes of "UFC Unleashed," a highly-rated weekly series featuring the most thrilling matches in UFC history.

Founder and creator of TapouT, Mask stated, "Hey, we’re just an extension of MMA. Hopefully TapouT adds a little fun, hope and excitement. Spike TV and "The Ultimate Fighter" have done so much for the sport that it’s an honor to be involved."

Season seven of "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature current UFC light-heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "The Ultimate Fighter" season one victor and light-heavyweight contender, Forrest Griffin as coaches. During the six-week taping of "The Ultimate Fighter," the sixteen men endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters continues after they leave the gym and head for the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.

TapouT is the brainchild of the Crew’s leader, Mask. This decade-old-yet-fresh company operates independently without concern for competition, because they’ve been at the forefront of Mixed Martial Arts since the very beginning, and boast support from several MMA superstars.

TapouT is present at the most extreme events, supporting their fighters and offering everything from their line that reflects the Crew’s iconic status: the hottest, edgiest apparel for guys and girls, an exclusive magazine covering all that is MMA, a cable reality TV series gearing up for a second season and even their own flask-shaped bottled water. Their distinctive logo graces everything from hats, tees and car windows to their special limited edition 2007 Toyota Tundra TapouT truck. The TapouT logo has become so noteworthy that its most devoted fans are tattooing it on their bodies, demonstrating the ultimate in commitment.

Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are executive producers of "The Ultimate Fighter." Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com.

TUF Rating - Week 12

Dave Meltzer reports that the 12/5 season finale of The Ultimate Fighter did a 1.14 rating with 1.4 million viewers. The show did a 1.46 in Males 18-34 and a 1.04 in Males 35-49.

SEE: TUF Ratings in Perspective for a detailed look at the ratings for season five.

TUF 6 Live Finale Rating

The Ultimate Fighter 6 Live Finale posted a 1.8 rating, good for 1.7 million viewers. The demographic breakouts were a 2.7 rating for males 18-34, a 2.8 rating for makes 25-34, and a 2.2 rating for males 18-49.

The overall rating matches the 1.8 average rating for the first five TUF Finales, however, the number also makes TUF 6 the second lowest rated TUF Finale, ahead of only the season four finale. The complete season by season finale breakdown:

• TUF 1 - Couture v. Liddell - 1.9
• TUF 2 - Hughes v. Franklin - 2.0
• TUF 3 - Shamrock v. Ortiz - 2.0
• TUF 4 - The Comeback - 1.1
• TUF 5 - Penn v. Pulver - 2.0
• TUF 6 - Hughes v. Serra - 1.8

A hot topic within the industry currently is to what extent boxing and MMA actually compete for the same consumers (more on that topic later). With that in mind, for what its worth, viewership for the broadcast peaked at 2.9 million viewers during the Huerta-Guida fight despite going head-to-head with Mayweather-Hatton on pay-per-view.

TUF Rating - Week 11

Dave Meltzer reports that the 11/28 episode of the Ultimate Fighter bounced back to 1.12 rating with 1.5 million viewers from a season low 0.95 rating on Thanksgiving Eve. The show did a 1.51 in Males 18-34 and a 1.11 in Males 35-49.

TUF 7 Coaches Set; Jackson v. Griffin Headlines UFC's Early 2008 Lineup

The UFC officially announced Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and, the original Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffin as coaches for the seventh edition of The Ultimate Fighter. Filming for season seven will begin in January. The series is scheduled to premier in April. Subsequently, Jackson will defend his title against Griffin in the summer of 2008.

Assuming an April premier and a twelve-week season, Jackson-Griffin will take place on Saturday June 21st at the earliest. At that time the company's premier weight class will have been on hold for at least eight months. The Light Heavyweight title will likely be defended only twice next year as the company continues to move towards more of a boxing work load for its top stars (2-3 fights per year).

The pay-per-view lineup through the first two quarters of next year is shaping up like this:

• 1/08 - England - BJ Penn v. Joe Stevenson for the Lightweight Title
• 2/08 - Las Vegas - Tim Sylvia v. Antonio Nogueira for the Heavyweight Title, Brock Lesnar v. Frank Mir
• 3/08 - Columbus - Anderson Silva v. Dan Henderson for the Middleweight Title
• 4/08 - Montreal - Matt Hughes/Georges Saint Pierre v. Matt Sera for the Welterweight Title
• 5/08 - Penn/Stevenson v. Sean Sherk for the Lightweight Title
• 6/08 - Quinton Jackson v. Forrest Griffin for the Light Heavyweight Title

TUF Ratings in Perspective: Trending Down, but Impressive Reach

MMAWeekly.com has the season by season ratings breakdown for The Ultimate Fighter. The numbers reflect a consistent down trend, with the exception of TUF 3 which featured Shamrock v. Ortiz.

In the history of the series, the regular season of The Ultimate Fighter season one averaged a 1.6 overall rating; the second season was down to a 1.4 average rating; the third season was the series' peak with a 1.7 average rating; the fourth season was down to an average rating of 1.2; the fifth season was down very slightly from the previous season but still rounded to an average rating of 1.2; and the just-completed sixth season was down to an average rating of 1.1, which is a new series-low.

Spike TV offers the following cumulative TUF viewership information to put the total reach/impact of the series into perspective:

• The first five seasons of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike were seen by 93 million Viewers (33% of the U.S. population).
• 14.4 million M18-34 saw the show (43% of the population) and 28.2 million M18-49 saw the show (44%).

Let's Get It On: TUF 6 Finale v. Mayweather-Hatton

This Saturday's live finale of The Ultimate Fighter 6 will go head-to-head with the second biggest boxing event of the year as Floyd Mayweather puts his World Welterweight Championship on the line against Ricky Hatton in a battle of undefeated fighters (38-0 and 43-08 respectively). Both events get underway at 9PM eastern, on Spike and HBO Sports pay-per-view respectively. The UFC telecast should wrap-up just before the boxing main event heads to the ring.

The UFC event will feature rising stars Roger Huerta and Clay Guida in the main event. This is the UFC's Latino poster boy's first trust test inside of the octagon. With the company rumored to be interested in heading south of the border as early as May of this year, a Huerta loss would be bad for business. In the co-main, Mac Danzig and Tommy Speer meet in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 6 welterweight tournament. The live card is rounded out by three undercard bouts pitting Team Serra v. Team Hughes one last time.

Perhaps in a nod towards the UFC's promotional style, Golden Boy Promotions has loaded up the Mayweather-Hatton undercard by boxing standards with former Super Middleweight Champion Jeff Lacy returning to the ring to face Peter Manfredo Jr., star of season one of The Contender. The WBO World Junior Featherweight title will also be on the line as Daniel Ponce de Leon defends his title against Eduardo Escobedo.

It will be interesting to see what kind of number the UFC does. This season of The Ultimate Fighter has struggled in the ratings, failing to build any momentum heading into the finale, but the live TUF Finales usually do well regardless. The previous five TUF Finales have averaged a 1.8 rating. The TUF 5 Finale did a 2.0, however, that number is misleading as it featured Pulver v. Penn, a pay-per-view quality main event. The TUF 4 Finale did a 1.1 rating without a marque main event.

The Mayweather-Hatton numbers will also be watched closely by those in the boxing and MMA industries. Golden Boy Promotions is expecting 1.5 million buys, however, all bets are off in light of the largely unknown dynamic added by the highly successful 24/7 series. Earlier this year De La Hoya-Mayweather was expected to do 1.5 million buys only to explode for 2.4 million buys on the strength of 24/7.

TUF Rating - Week 10

Dave Meltzer reports that the 11/21 episode of the Ultimate Fighter did a 0.95 rating with 1.2 million viewers. This was the lowest rated episode of the season thanks to airing on Thanksgiving eve. The show did a 1.08 in Males 18-34 and a 0.78 in Males 35-49.

TUF Rating - Week 9

Dave Meltzer reports that the 11/14 episode of the Ultimate Fighter did a 1.07 rating with 1.4 million viewers. The show did a 1.77 in Males 18-34 and a 1.05 in Males 35-49.

TUF Rating - Week 8

Dave Meltzer reports that the 11/7 episode of the Ultimate Fighter did a 1.01 rating with 1.3 million viewers. The key demographics were a 1.59 in Males 18-34 and a 0.79 in Males 35-49.

Season five is averaging a 1.15 rating through eight episodes.

TUF Rating - Week 7

Dave Meltzer reports that the 10/31 episode of the Ultimate Fighter drew a 1.06 rating (1.3 million viewers). Males 18-34 did a 1.23, 1.05 in Males 35-49. The show was down almost .2 from the previous week, however, Halloween may have played a large role in the decline.