TUF 16 TV Ratings Up in Week 4 Piggybacking Off of UFC on FX 5

Episode four of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson, which followed UFC on FX 5 on Friday night, piggybacked off the strength of the live event to its best TV ratings of the season.

The episode drew 1.1 million viewers, according to industry sources. That marks the first time this season’s it has crested the 1 million mark.

It’s no secret that there’s been a drop in overall viewership since TUF moved over to FX. Much of the decline in absolute numbers has been overshadowed, at least according to UFC president Dana White, by the fact that the numbers are still strong enough to give FX a boost in its Friday night ratings in key demographics, which is what the network is more concerned with.

UFC on FX 5 also scored 1.1 million viewers, spilling over to TUF, at least for the night. That was surely in the plans when scheduling the event for the same night as TUF. It remains to be seen if the reality show can carry any of that audience over for the remainder of its season.

TUF 16 TV Ratings:

Episode 1: 947,000
Episode 2: 872,000
Episode 3: 775,000
Episode 4: 1,100,000