UFC Fight Night 81 took place this Sunday evening at the TD Garden in Boston and was headlined by Dominick Cruz regaining the UFC bantamweight title with a split decision victory against T.J. Dillashaw.
According to Nielson sources, the main card broadcast on FS1 had an average live audience of 2,288,000 viewers and the peak viewership for the event came during the 10:45-11 p.m. ET quarter hour with 2,464,000 viewers.
Along with the main card being televised on FS1, the televised preliminary card was also on the sports cable network. The average viewership for the two hour preliminary card was 1,767,000 viewers and 1,025,000 in the Adult 18-49 demo from 8:00 p.m. ET – 10:00 p.m ET, making it the most-watched non pay-per-view preliminary card in FS1 history in both metrics.
The viewership for the main card is the second most watched UFC Fight Night in FS1 history, with the top viewership coming last year in January with UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Siver (2,751,000 viewers). Also, Sunday’s card was the most-watched show on ad-supported cable television that evening from 8 p.m. ET – 1:00 a.m. ET in both viewership and in the Adult 18-49 demographic.
Following the conclusion of the main card, FOX Sports Live delivered 1,454,000 viewers and 929,000 in the Adult 18-49 demographic, 599% greater than last January on viewership (vs. 208,000) and 609% better in the Adult 18-49 demographic (vs. 131,000).
The UFC will be returning to FOX Sports next weekend for UFC on FOX 18: Johnson vs. Bader as the televised preliminary card will be shown on FS1 and the main card will be on FOX.