Pro Fighters League debuts with 291,000 viewers

The debut of the Pro Fighters League on NBC Sports this past Friday night, a show headlined by former UFC top welterweight contender Jon Fitch against Brian Foster, did 291,000 viewers.

Fitch (30-7-1, 1 no contest) scored his first finish since June 2007, in scoring a second-round win over Foster (27-10) with a bulldog choke.

The audience was well above the usual 180,000-to-200,000 viewers that its predecessor, the World Series of Fighting, had averaged in recent years. Fitch was the WSOF welterweight champion when the organization closed and its owners were part of the formation of the new PFL.

The number was likely stronger than expected due to the time slot being moved. The show was originally set to start at 10:30 p.m. ET, after the Coca-Coa Firecracker 250 NASCAR XFINITY Series race. With the race delayed by rain, the show was moved up to a 9:03 p.m. start and the four-fight show ended at 11:26 p.m.

The show was held at the Daytona International Speedway in conjunction with a NASCAR race.