UFC on Fox 27 Draws All-Time Low Overnight Rating for Series

UFC on Fox 27 didn’t have a lot of buzz heading into Saturday’s event, and the ratings seem to reflect that lack of interest.

According to TV By the Numbers, UFC on Fox 27 attracted 1.59 million viewers to the Fox Network for the main card. That represents an all-time low figure for the UFC on Fox series. The event drew a 0.5 rating in the 18-to-49 demographic. The final ratings will likely be slightly higher, but it isn’t expected to be a significant increase.

The UFC’s television deal with Fox is set to expire at the end of this year.

UFC on Fox 27 took place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., and was saw Ronaldo Souza defeat Derek Brunson via first-round knockout in the evening’s middleweight headliner. The card lacked the overall name recognition to draw in casual fans, as co-headliners Dennis Bermudez and Andre Fili aren’t well known outside of the MMA bubble. The main card also saw prospect Gregor Gillespie earn a first-round TKO of Jordan Rinaldi, while Drew Dober outpointed Frank Camacho at welterweight.

The previous low came at UFC on Fox 25 on July 22, which drew 1.64 million viewers and a 0.6 rating in the 18-to-49 demographic for a card headlined by Chris Weidman and Kelvin Gastelum.

UFC on Fox 27 went head-to-head with a marquee NBA matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics, which drew 3.697 million viewers to ABC.