Last night’s debut episode of “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights” landed a massive 4.1 million viewers, besting the old series record of 2.8 million by a wide margin. The show drew a 5.3 rating in males 18-34, and did a 2.9 overall household rating. It was the highest-rated original show in the history of Spike.
The network expected big ratings for the show, especially with the addition of Slice to the cast. But the ratings the premiere delivered likely shattered even the most optimistic of predictions.
If there were any lingering doubts that Kimbo Slice is a true ratings powerhouse, they should be laid to rest. It will be interested to see how the ratings react as the rest of the season unfolds, but the addition of Slice to the roster has already paid dividends. We’ve stated before that Slice doesn’t have to win the tournament in order to get his lucrative UFC contract — he simply has to put on a good showing for himself and prove that he’s willing to improve.
