EliteXC Draws Record Ratings

by Robert Sargent

Although the event was not without its share of controversy, EliteXC's "Primetime" debut on CBS was the most watched live MMA event in television history, with an average of 4.9 million viewers tuning in throughout the night.

Ratings peaked between 11:30 and 11:51 P.M. Eastern time, when 6.51 million viewers tuned in to watch the final fight of the evening between Kimbo Slice and James Thompson.

The previous record for MMA on television had been set by UFC 75 on SpikeTV, with an average of 4.7 million viewers, and 5.6 million tuning in to see the Unified Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "Dangerous" Dan Henderson.

From a ratings standpoint, this is a huge step forward for mixed martial arts, and a second EliteXC event on CBS is being planned for late summer.

However, with the amount of controversy still swirling from the event, it's a matter of opinion as to whether the good outweighs the bad.