‘TUF 15’ Finale Pulls 1 Million Viewers on FX, Prelims Net 165,000 on Fuel TV

The undercard, which aired on Fuel TV immediately prior to FX’s main draw offering, averaged 165,000 viewers and set a series high for preliminary card broadcasts on the channel. Conversely, the 1 million viewers who tuned into FX ranked seventh out of eight total live broadcasts on the network this year. Only the UFC 142 prelims, which earned 880,000 viewers, rated lower.

Headlined by an exciting welterweight main event between Martin Kampmann and Jake Ellenberger, the card took place at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Ellenberger stunned Kampmann in the opening moments of their headliner, sending the Dane reeling to the canvas against the fence. However, “The Hitman” survived the early onslaught and came back with a vengeance in round two, clipping Ellenberger with a short right hand before finishing his foe against the cage with knees from the clinch.

The FX telecast also saw Mike Chiesa claim the “TUF 15” crown, as “Maverick” took Al Iaquinta’s back and force the New Yorker to submit to a first-round rear-naked choke in the evening’s co-headliner. Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway and Justin Lawrence also picked up impressive wins.

The preliminary card was highlighted by a pair of first-round finishes, as Myles Jury and Joe Proctor stopped cast mates Chris Saunders and Jeremy Larsen. Season 15 veterans Daron Cruickshank and Sam Sicilia also emerged victorious during the Fuel TV offering, with Cruickshank outpointing Chris Tickle and Sicilia pounding out Cristiano Marcello.