UFC on FOX debut drew in an average of 5.7 million viewers during the one-hour show in adjusted ratings released Sunday afternoon by Nielsen Media Research through FOX.
in the first round, but those estimates were expected to change as more information became available. The final number suggests an audience that was around 20 percent larger than originally thought.
According to FOX, it was the most watched professional fight since boxing heavyweights Lennox Lewis and Vladimir Klitschko drew 7 million viewers to their HBO fight in 2003. The network also says it projects the hour to win its key demographics, including the coveted 18-to-34-year old age group.
that drew an average of 4.3 million viewers. That event, which lasted more than two hours, peaked with over 6.5 million viewers to watch Slice knock out Thompson. The match went into the third round, likely helping the broadcast draw viewers as it went along. That's a stark contrast to dos Santos-Velasquez, which lasted just 64 seconds.
The one-hour special was extremely strong among the male 18-34 demographic, as it out-rated every college football game this year with the exception of November 5's LSU vs. Alabama game, a matchup that featured No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the national rankings.
Among local markets, Las Vegas led the nation in ratings. Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma rounded out the top five.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Mike Pierce defeated Paul Bradley via split decision at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Paul Bradley tries to sway the judges at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Mike Pierce punches Paul Bradley at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Mike Pierce lands a right hand on Paul Bradley at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Aaron Rosa defeated Matt Lucas via majority decision at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Aaron Rosa kicks Matt Lucas at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Alex Caceres push kicks Cole Escovedo at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Alex Caceres knees the body of Cole Escovedo at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Alex Caceres front kicks Cole Escovedo at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Alex Caceres celebrates Bruce Lee-style after his win over Cole Escovedo at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Alex Caceres defeated Cole Escovedo via unanimous decision at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cole Escovedo throws a jumping knee on Alex Caceres at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Alex Caceres tries to armbar Cole Escovedo at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Robert Peralta and Mackens Semerzier collide heads at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Robert Peralta throws a leg kick against Mackens Semerzier at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Mackens Semerzier lands a kick to the body of Robert Peralta at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Mackens Semerzier jabs Robert Peralta at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Mackens Semerzier looks to ground and pound Robert Peralta at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Robert Peralta kicks Mackens Semerzier at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto throws a high kick against Darren Uyenoyama at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Darren Uyenoyama throws a kick at Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Mackens Semerzier falls down and desperately goes for a takedown against Robert Peralta at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Mackens Semerzier goes for a takedown against Robert Peralta at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Robert Peralta def. Mackens Semerzier via third-round TKO at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Darren Uyenoyama tries to submit Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at the closing seconds of the first round at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Ricardo Lamas talks to Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ricardo Lamas falls to a knee after beating Cub Swanson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ricardo Lamas begins to get emotional after beating Cub Swanson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cub Swanson punches Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ricardo Lamas tries to escape a tight guillotine choke by Cub Swanson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ricardo Lamas attacks Cub Swanson from top at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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DaMarques Johnson knocks out Clay Harvison at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Darren Uyenoyama exits the cage after his win over Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto walks off in defeat at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Darren Uyenoyama def. Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Darren Uyenoyama def. Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Darren Uyenoyama kicks Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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UFC on FOX Photos
Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto pushes forward against Darren Uyenoyama at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Darren Uyenoyama attempts to choke out Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Darren Uyenoyama attempts to choke out Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Dustin Poirier defeated Pablo Garza via submission at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Dustin Poirier defeated Pablo Garza via submission at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Dustin Poirier submits Pablo Garza with an arm-triangle choke at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Dustin Poirier drops down punches on Pablo Garza at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Pablo Garza throws a kick at Dustin Poirier at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson slugs with Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida goes after Ben Henderson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida and Ben Henderson get ready for battle at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson punches Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson defeated Clay Guida via unanimous decision at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida tries to win over the judges at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Referee Herb Dean warns Ben Henderson for an illegal punch to the back of the head at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida tries to choke out Ben Henderson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson knees Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida wants more of Ben Henderson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson takes a breather between rounds against Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson knees Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida rushes Ben Henderson at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson knees Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Clay Guida charges Ben Henderson at UFC on FOX 1 on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Ben Henderson defends a takedown attempt by Clay Guida at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cain Velasquez is ready to defend his UFC heavyweight belt at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos moments before facing Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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The scene of the main event of UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos lands a big right hand on Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cain Velasquez tries to take Junior dos Santos to the ground at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos drills Cain Velasquez in the head at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cain Velasquez falls to the ground after a hard left at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos attempts to finish Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos attempts to finish Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos attempts to finish Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos celebrates his win at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos celebrates his win at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos celebrates his win at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cain Velasquez fails to defend his UFC heavyweight title at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Junior dos Santos is awarded the UFC heavyweight championship at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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Cain Velasquez leaves the Octagon without his belt at UFC on FOX on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
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