UFC 131 Prelims Draw Strong TV Ratings for Spike TV

Sam Stout KO's Yves Edwards at UFC 131.

The UFC 131 Prelims on Spike TV on Saturday night pulled in a strong viewership for the basic cable network. The event averaged 1.6 million viewers over the course of the one-hour telecast.

Sam Stout knocked Yves Edwards out cold with a brutal right hand in the main fight on Spike, while Chris Weidman choked out Jesse Bongfeldt. Both were first-round finishes, making for a couple of exciting, fan friendly bouts.

The 1.6 million average viewership marks the highest average for the series on Spike TV since UFC 126 on Super Bowl weekend. The UFC 126 Prelims drew an average audience of 2.0 million viewers.

The series has done well for the network averaging 1.45 million viewers per episode over the course of 17 telecasts in just under two years.