Demetrious Johnson’s record night also did record television numbers. Unfortunately, it’s not on the good side of history.
UFC on FOX 24, which was headlined by Johnson’s UFC Flyweight title defense against Wilson Reis, drew only 1.74 million television viewers on the overnight ratings with a 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic. The 1.74 million viewers is the lowest viewership in the history of UFC on FOX.
Compared to the ratings of other major networks on that night, FOX had the least amount of viewers, but the 0.6 rating was tied for second with the NHL playoff game between the Nashville Predators vs. Chicago Blackhawks.
Compared to the UFC on FOX card last April, this year’s show was down 18 percent from the previous year’s card (2.13 million viewers and a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic). The 2016 April UFC on FOX card was headlined by Glover Teixeira vs. Rashad Evans.
This is the fourth UFC on FOX card that Johnson has headlined. The other three, all in 2013, did at least 2 million viewers on the overnight ratings, with the highest being in January 2013. That card, in which Johnson defended his title against John Dodson, did 3.77 million viewers with a Rampage Jackson vs. Glover Teixeira co-main event.
Johnson’s win over Reis was his 10th successful title defense, tied for most in UFC history. The card was co-main evented by Michelle Waterson vs. Rose Namajumas.
