The Mac
06-10-2010, 11:54 PM
Never one to let a competitor operate unopposed, the UFC is once again getting its counter-programming hat on to go head-to-head with Strikeforce's June 26 event on Showtime.
As a Spike TV press release announced earlier today, the cable network will air a "special re-broadcast" of UFC 113, featuring the light heavyweight championship bout between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Lyoto Machida, as well as five other fights, including Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione.
Obviously, the timing of this broadcast directly coincides with Strikeforce's "Fedor vs. Werdum" event from San Jose, Calif., which will air on Showtime the same night.
That event pits Fedor Emelianenko against considerable underdog Fabricio Werdum in the main event, while 145-pound women's champ Cris "Cyborg" Santos faces off against relative unknown Jan Finney on the undercard.
As always with the UFC's counter-programming efforts, one might be inclined to wonder who these viewers are who enjoy MMA enough to want to watch a title fight from over a month ago, but not enough to want to watch the world's best heavyweight in a live fight.
The important thing to remember in this case, however, is that Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes, while Showtime is in approximately 12 million.
That almost guarantees that Spike TV and the UFC will draw greater numbers on the night (the UFC's last major counter-programming effort drew nearly three times as many viewers as Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery on the same night), and will allow for a little chest-thumping over the ratings victory
As a Spike TV press release announced earlier today, the cable network will air a "special re-broadcast" of UFC 113, featuring the light heavyweight championship bout between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Lyoto Machida, as well as five other fights, including Kimbo Slice vs. Matt Mitrione.
Obviously, the timing of this broadcast directly coincides with Strikeforce's "Fedor vs. Werdum" event from San Jose, Calif., which will air on Showtime the same night.
That event pits Fedor Emelianenko against considerable underdog Fabricio Werdum in the main event, while 145-pound women's champ Cris "Cyborg" Santos faces off against relative unknown Jan Finney on the undercard.
As always with the UFC's counter-programming efforts, one might be inclined to wonder who these viewers are who enjoy MMA enough to want to watch a title fight from over a month ago, but not enough to want to watch the world's best heavyweight in a live fight.
The important thing to remember in this case, however, is that Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes, while Showtime is in approximately 12 million.
That almost guarantees that Spike TV and the UFC will draw greater numbers on the night (the UFC's last major counter-programming effort drew nearly three times as many viewers as Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery on the same night), and will allow for a little chest-thumping over the ratings victory