UFC
UFC 148 "Silva vs. Sonnen II" reportedly seen by 19 million viewers in Brazil
Jul 10, 2012 - 7:00:38 PM UFC 148 "Silva vs. Sonnen II" reportedly seen by 19 million viewers in Brazil

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Pay-per-view estimates for Saturday night's UFC 148 event have not been reported as of yet, but the Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen event was a massive hit in Brazil, according to multiple published reports.

According to both Tatame and Veja Magazine in Brazil, the event drew 19 million viewers to Globo TV on Saturday. What's even more impressive about that number is that the card was on 30-minute tape delay.

The event was headlined by the Middleweight Championship rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen. The fight was initially scheduled to headline UFC 147 in Brazil, before venue issues forced the UFC to move it to Las Vegas.

This number represents a new record for the UFC in Brazil. They drew consistently well for the Brazilian edition of The Ultimate Fighter on Globo, and the UFC 147 event last month set a new record with 10-15 million viewers tuning in. This number bests that record and sets a new mark for the organization in their fastest growing market.

Penick's Analysis: This is a very excellent number for the UFC. There's a reason they're looking to head back to Brazil as often as possible moving forward. The Brazilian public has embraced the sport of mixed martial arts in a way that the U.S. audience just hasn't to date, and they are getting major numbers consistently on Globo TV. This is just the latest in their 2012 run, and the next fight with a major Brazilian fighter will likely do well also. They're continuing to set new bars for themselves, and this is another great one.