Bellator tops the UFC in weekend ratings
Dave Meltzer of MMA Fighting reports Bellator topped the UFC in ratings this past weekend. UFC Fight Night 117 headlined by Ovince Saint Preux vs. Yushin Okami averaged 502,000 viewers on Friday night. Bellator 183 headlined by former UFC champion Benson Henderson vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire averaged 598,000 viewers. The Bellator main event was the most watched fight of the weekend which averaged 754,000 viewers and peaked at 847,000 viewers.
Grocke’s Viewpoint: As I mentioned on the MMA Talk for Pro Wrestling Fans podcast last night I thought the Bellator card was the better of the two, so the fact that Bellator outdrew the UFC doesn’t surprise me. That said, I’m curious as to how the numbers would have looked had UFC Fight Night 117 aired on FS1 instead of FXX.
The Professional Fighters League closes out 2017 with charity event
On November 2, the Professional Fighters League will close out 2017 with PFL: Washington D.C. The PFL will partner with Fight for Children, a non-profit based in the D.C. area. The mission of the non-profit is to ensure all kids; especially in high need areas receive a quality early education and a solid foundation for future success.
Learn more about the charity at Fight for Children
Learn more about the PFL fight card at Professional Fighters League
Ray Borg finally talks about illness
Ray Borg spoke on the MMA HOUR about the illness that forced him to pull out of his main event fight against Demetrious Johnson at UFC 215.
“The plane ride over there, I was just kinda feeling like sh*t. My body was aching really, really bad, and it was just really, really hard. And it was just kinda like, alright, it is what it is, I’m probably just getting over a tiny cold or just the atmosphere change. And then open media day wasn’t too, too bad; I was feeling a little uncomfortable.”
“It wasn’t until open workouts (that I started to realize it was bad). Open workouts, I felt like I was having to push through a hard, hard workout. Like, I felt like it was one of my hardest training days of fight camp and I was having to push through it. So it was kinda at open workouts where I was really like, ‘This isn’t quite right. I’m feeling absolutely horrible.”
Borg goes into further detail about the illness in the full interview that can be viewed here.
VanZant plans to return in 2017
Paige VanZant told mmafighting.com that despite the herniated disk that forced her to back out of her fight against Jessica Eye at UFC 216, she is hopeful that she’ll be able to get back into the cage before the year ends.
Fight Announcements
Pat Curran vs. John Teixeira is set for the Bellator 184 main card
Gaston Reyno vs. Westin Wilson is set for the Bellator prelim card
Justin Patterson vs. Chance Rencountre is set for the Bellator prelim card
David Rickels vs. Brennan Ward is set for the Bellator 185 main card
Ryan Quinn vs. Marcus Surin is set for the Bellator 185 prelim card
Costello van Steenis vs. Steve Skrzat is set for the Bellator 185 prelim card
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS NEWS: Deontay Wilder comments on fighting Brock Lesnar, Gokhan Saki says MMA transition played into cardio issues, Paige VanZant and Jessica Eye pulled from UFC 216
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