MMAConvert.com

The press release:

SPIKE TV’S RE-BROADCAST OF UFC 84 DRAWS MORE YOUNG MEN THAN A LIVE PRO ELITEXC CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT ON CBS

Need proof the UFC is the preeminent mixed martial arts brand in the world? On Saturday, July 26, more men 18-34 watched a repeat…a repeat…of a UFC event on Spike TV than a LIVE telecast of a Pro EliteXC championship card on CBS. Despite being available in over 17 million more homes, Spike TV drew 27% more Men 18-34 for a re-broadcast of “UFC 84: Penn vs. Sherk” from (9:00-12:00am ET/PT) than CBS’s live show (9:00-11:00pm). Spike TV’s telecast tallied 433,000 Men 18-34 to CBS’s 341,000.

Overall, “UFC 84: Penn vs. Sherk” drew higher ratings than Pro EliteXC in Men 18-49 (1.5 to 1.3) and Men 18-34 (1.5 and 1.0).

Photo courtesy of the UFC

You knew it was coming.

We mentioned last week that UFC president Dana White was planning a special to counter-program EliteXC’s second outing on CBS scheduled for July 26. Well, it looks like that special will be UFC 84, arguably the best UFC event thus far in 2008. Spike TV, of course, will have the honors of broadcasting the event.

This will mark the third time the UFC has come up with programming to counter the competition’s live events. On May 31, during EliteXC’s CBS debut, Spike TV ran a special night of programming dedicated to Chuck Liddell, which drew between 1.2 and 1.6 million viewers away from EliteXC over the course of the night. Despite the strong effort, the UFC didn’t spoil EliteXC’s party, as the ‘Primetime’ event drew record ratings for a mixed martial arts event in North America.

…by EliteXC’s primetime, network television debut on CBS? It looks like it. In an obvious attempt to divert viewers away from EliteXC: Primetime, the UFC has dedicated a two-hour block of special programming on Spike TV featuring its most popular fighter, Chuck Liddell, to run at the same time as the event on CBS.

Here’s the press release:

On Saturday, May 31, the best mixed martial arts programming on television will be on Spike TV, as the network presents a special night dedicated to UFC® superstar Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. The homage to Liddell will feature two Spike TV premiere events not to be missed by true UFC fans.

At 9:00pm ET/PT, Spike presents the world television premiere of “Ultimate Iceman: Chuck Liddell,” an hour-long documentary which chronicles the life of one of the sport’s true titans, in and out of the Octagon™.