UFC Will Counter Fedor With Couture vs. Nogueira on Spike TV

The best heavyweight in the history of mixed martial arts, Fedor Emelianenko, will fight live on CBS on November 7, and on Wednesday the UFC announced that it will counter-program Fedor with the second- and third-best heavyweights in MMA history, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Randy Couture.

Spike TV will re-play the classic Nogueira vs. Couture slugfest from UFC 102 at the same time that CBS is showing Fedor vs. Brett Rogers, meaning UFC fans who missed UFC 102 on pay-per-view will get a chance to watch it for the price of basic cable.

Spike will also show three other recent UFC fights that night: B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian and Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin from UFC 101, and Vitor Belfort vs. Rich Franklin from UFC 103.

The decision to put UFC 102 on Spike is no surprise; it's the latest in a long line of efforts from the UFC to take viewers away from its MMA rivals. But the big question is just how many viewers it will siphon away from the Affliction/M-1 Global event on CBS. Hard-core MMA fans have already seen the UFC fights and will be excited about watching Fedor live, but more casual UFC fans might turn away from CBS and toward Spike because they're more familiar with the UFC brand. That's why this is a smart business move on the UFC's part.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-21-2009 @ 3:57PM

gillygodfried said...

dumb

10-21-2009 @ 4:01PM

kevin said...

al i can say is wow, i mean i guess if there plan is to steal a dozen or so people, tough choice though watch a live card with Fedor, rogers, mayhem, shields, mousasi(spelling?)i forget who else and dont no the outcomes, or watch a mediocer card that i no the outcome to already i think ill record Fedor Rogers and watch Couture Nog, NOT!!!!!

10-21-2009 @ 4:18PM

M13 said...

I'm not surprised by the UFC putting 102 on Spike to go against Strikeforce's Nov. 7th card. But I am surprised that they're are taking the main event fights from 101 and 103 to merge with UFC 102 on Spike.

10-21-2009 @ 4:36PM

Eric said...

Hardcore MMA viewers are probably in the minority when it comes to viewers. The majority of fans are likely in the casual catagory. These casual fans haven't seen some of the UFC fights that will be on Spike, and they are more familiar with the UFC and it's fighters. Basically ... I think MDS is right.

Smart move by the UFC. I like SF and want the UFC to have competition, but if history has shown us anything ... Anyway, I think SF is going to have problems. Casual fans tuned in to see Carano & Kimbo, but they aren't going to watch Fedor & Mousasi in the same numbers ... their popularity just isn't there yet.

I rambled a little, but I think I made my point.

10-21-2009 @ 4:41PM

jmend25 said...

Strikeforce can still easily put Carano, Cyborg, Lashley, Le, Mayhem, etc on TV. They will draw ratings.

10-21-2009 @ 9:04PM

I think you did. And a good one at that.

10-21-2009 @ 4:40PM

Easy solution. Pass on UFC PPV's and they will show them or their main events for free on Spike TV next time they counter. We all win.

DVR Spike, watch CBS LIVE and for free.

10-21-2009 @ 5:15PM

richardbikle said...

i really like randy and nogueira, but to say they are the second and third best HWs is a big, big stretch.

i'll be watching fedor, and can honestly say theres very few ufc fights i want to see twice.

10-21-2009 @ 5:50PM

MidnghtRider21 said...

Busy night for the DVR.

10-21-2009 @ 5:59PM

Mario said...

Easy fix, tune in back and forth, watch belfort vs Franklin, Spider vs Griffin, Mousasi vs soko then Fedor vs rogers, perfect card.

10-21-2009 @ 6:01PM

Also, doesnt Fedor look a little like Al Bundy in that pic?

10-21-2009 @ 9:13PM

johnnynumber5 said...

As popular as the UFC is they still can't say they have the most watched MMA event in North American history. Kimbo Slice & Elite XC has that claim to fame.

All those UFC fights sucked except for Nog vs Couture ... an interesting point is will this have a negative effect on PPV sales? Why buy a UFC PPV when you can wait a month and watch it for free on Spike.

Needless to say I'll be watching Fedor ... oh and MMA isn't mainstream yet and most of the viewers are hardcore fans not casual noobs. Duh.

10-21-2009 @ 11:38PM

Ted said...

There is a saying, "You have to know when to pick your battles." Dana; if you want Fedor this is the wrong way to about it.

10-22-2009 @ 12:45AM

Wally said...

Yeah this is a real smart move by the UFC isn't it?

Let me say how smart do they have to be to replay a few fights? Not to smart. Everyone including Strikeforce new they were going to run some counter programming that night what did you think they were going to air? Rerun of UFC 24?
It didn't take a genius to make this decision. It was to obvious because they weren't going to be able to counter with a live event so air the most recent big fights they've had.
Which as someone pointed out earlier were all garbage fights except for Couture/Noguiera.

10-22-2009 @ 12:49AM

Niv said...

I wonder if Zuffa ever thinks things through at all?

OK you want to give SF the big F You but who in their right mind is going to watch the already seen UFC fights over a great card with Fedor and Moussasi on it?

Here's the rub, I can't wait until the UFC puts up a big ppv card and SF counters them one day with a stacked card for free on network tv. I doubt Zuffa looked that far into the future when they decided to do this.

10-22-2009 @ 2:05AM

piprocks666 said...

That would be awesome. Probably the best point so far.

10-24-2009 @ 12:33AM

taiyipoh said...

Fedor is always fun to watch, but then again Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin one of the funniest things I've ever seen in MMA...

10-24-2009 @ 2:47AM

not as funny as the 2 fights silva had before that.

this is such a joke.

strikeforce's stacked card for free

or

ufc's brock vs carwin & tito vs griffin for $45

hmmm??

how interesting was it that a couple days after dana gave this prophetical speech about how by that day next year ufc would be on network tv, just like boxing was when he was growing up. and then BAM! Strikeforce live on cbs. he was soo salty the next day, his loud mouth was reduced to a soft whimper. now he can't even say hello to coker, who has never said anything bad about dana or ufc. all the bs drama crap is coming from 1 man=dana white. the biggest sore loser i've ever seen. i hope rampage breaks him in two in a dark alley. who the hell does dana think he is. i spit in my bosses face for not giving a day off to spend with my mother after working for the man for 7 months and never missing a day or coming in late. threw my work shirt right in his face. i can only imagine how frustrated rampage was. you don't cross the line of family. dana was WAAAAAY out of bounds. did you see his little hissy fit cause the cop was giving his driver a ticket. annoying. this guy thinks, hey i'm dana i should be able to leave my car here on a busy street. wtf!! im dana white har har har. punk. just can't stand the guy. i'll never give him another dollar. period.