The Ultimate Fighter 14’s sixth episode on Spike TV had an average of 1.6 million viewers on Wednesday night.
That’s up 100,000 from the previous week and matches the ratings high for the season so far which was set during the second episode.
It was good timing for a ratings peak as episode 6 proved to be the most eventful episode yet on TUF 14 with a prank leading to Akira Corassani and Dustin Neace coming to blows during the fight announcement and team coaches Michael Bisping and Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller almost doing likewise.
Further controversy including Akira appearing to tap during his official bout with Neace in the Octagon and ‘Mayhem’ spraying water in Bisping’s face in a heated altercation after the fight, plus Miller’s car being towed away at the end following another prank will ensure that those watching will be tuning in next week to find out what happens next.
With the season almost at the half-way point it would appear that TUF 14 is set to comfortably outdo season 13’s disappointing performance and deliver ratings that are more consistent with previous incarnations of the show.
That’s good news for the UFC as it shows there is still interest in the series as they prepare to ship it over to FX in the new year with a new live format that they hope will breathe new life into the long-running franchise.