So 1.8 million viewers, the highest mma rating of the year.
What does it mean?
Say what you will about the ufc but they have the highest concentration of top fighters.
Is that not important? If the ufc were to headline a card with
osp vs jimi manuwa
and had a Co main of
Bobby green vs Myles jury
We know that wouldn't do 1.8 million but really you'd have very similar levels of competition as this card.
So what draws all those people?
A better channel?
The Ortiz name?
What can the ufc learn from this? How can this help mma in general?
It's not about ufc vs bellators, just about what it means for the industry. I'm curious about the opinions. 
NewOldTRT09er - Means you need a consistent and easily accessible viewing platform. You know, like the UFC had before they got greedy for that Fox money.
ive been saying this for a while.
OP, after following the sport for 20 yrs what draws me now are names. being able to find the fights helps too...
Yes I agree. Being from Canada we used to have it so easy, everything was on sports net or ppv, now it's almost all on fight pass. I don't hate fight pass but I want better accessibility to it.
Tito
Would love to see legends fight! How about bj pen vs Gracie at 155! Shit like that , once age or the wars caught up to them and they still want to fight. Ya they looked past there prime but damn I was still excited to watch. 
People
Can hate on Tito all they want but when he beat Bader the arena erupted louder than any other time that night. They guy is a vintage star. He had value and Dana pissed all over it for a personal vendetta. Tito could have been used in amazing big fights for years but instead they through him through the gauntlet of every young star to make him look bad.
It was a complete waste of a resource.
jjchgo -Oh that's easy! Just buy fight pass to watch prelims and buy the PPV after!NewOldTRT09er - Means you need a consistent and easily accessible viewing platform. You know, like the UFC had before they got greedy for that Fox money.
ive been saying this for a while.
OP, after following the sport for 20 yrs what draws me now are names. being able to find the fights helps too...
Then buy ufc fit and hire dolce to help you make 125lbs
Names.
It's why tonight's college basketball on ESPN will draw.
Duke. Kentucky. Kansas. Michigan State.
Coach K. Calipari. Izzo.
Why watch Buttfuck U vs Buttfuck State with Coach Dong vs Coach Jimmy?
You watch names you know.
Because a name you know means it's been established that those are the stars.
Tito Ortiz has been established as a star.
Rory MacDonald could win 10 more straight and still not even get noticed at an airport
The UFC had focused on the brand name of UFC but they forget it was star fighters like Tito who even got them to the dance.
UFC 40 didn't sell cause it was a UFC event.
It sold cause two stars were in the main event.
Stars draw numbers.
The rest draw flies.
well what NAMES does the Ufc have right now to get big numbers like Bellator just did?they put Cain and Dos Santos on Fox and it was basically a disaster..should the Ufc put their biggest fight in Jones vs DC on free tv??would this fight even draw many fans??then who do they put on their ppvs?
Ufc is having a hard time building marketable stars atm...i dont even know who most average joes like to watch, is it Lawler or hendricks, maybe Weidman, hell i dont know..none of these guys have the marketability that Brock, liddell, Gsp or Tito had..i just dont know how the Ufc can build up new stars, they seem to suck at it...
JeffersonDArcyChoke - Names.I don't disagree with this as a concept.
It's why tonight's college basketball on ESPN will draw.
Duke. Kentucky. Kansas. Michigan State.
Coach K. Calipari. Izzo.
Why watch Buttfuck U vs Buttfuck State with Coach Dong vs Coach Jimmy?
You watch names you know.
Because a name you know means it's been established that those are the stars.
Tito Ortiz has been established as a star.
Rory MacDonald could win 10 more straight and still not even get noticed at an airport
The UFC had focused on the brand name of UFC but they forget it was star fighters like Tito who even got them to the dance.
UFC 40 didn't sell cause it was a UFC event.
It sold cause two stars were in the main event.
Stars draw numbers.
The rest draw flies.
That being said if Tito fought bonnar on FS1 I don't think it would draw 1.8 million.
PrettyBoy - People
Can hate on Tito all they want but when he beat Bader the arena erupted louder than any other time that night. They guy is a vintage star. He had value and Dana pissed all over it for a personal vendetta. Tito could have been used in amazing big fights for years but instead they through him through the gauntlet of every young star to make him look bad.
It was a complete waste of a resource.
Who did Tito fight other than Bader that was a "young star"? Rashad? Lil Nog? Forrest? Hamill?
Ya way off there bud.
It means Stitches is blowing up the game playa!!
Vic Vinegar - It means Stitches is blowing up the game playa!!
NewOldTRT09er - Means you need a consistent and easily accessible viewing platform. You know, like the UFC had before they got greedy for that Fox money.Agreed with the easy viewing platform. It's to difficult to keep up with now.
Fuel, no wait.. Facebook, I mean FX2, wait... no FX1.... no, Fightpass
Big names pull big numbers... The UFC has been to busy worrying about promoting the initials U F C, and not as much on making these fighters stars. Guys like Tito came from a time when it was more about building stars, and putting on a show. Tito played that game very well and love him or hate him, the guy gets attention.
The UFC has done an outstanding job at laying down a solid foundation and building the brand worldwide. That also keeps improving, however they really need someone that is in charge of making these guys stars as well. Someone that can take a great production and make it even better, remembering that they are putting on a show.
I would bet an MMA show with the emphasis on spectacle over the UFC's dry straight down the line sports format would easily smash the UFC in ratings given a few years to bed in and a mainstream TV broadcaster.
Pride Neva Die!!!
So sounds like everyone has suggested
Remaining on the same channel
Having 'stars' even if they are passed their prime
Focusing on spectical
It means that if you take well established UFC Stars, put them in a grudge match, add in another grudge rematch for their most competitive title. It will beat unknown fighters, with less than 10 fights, on the prelims that are airing on a completely unestablished network. It says almost nothing about a competition between The UFC and Bellator in general.
HeHitsMeBecauseHeLovesMe - It means that if you take well established UFC Stars, put them in a grudge match, add in another grudge rematch for their most competitive title. It will beat unknown fighters, with less than 10 fights, on the prelims that are airing on a completely unestablished network. It says almost nothing about a competition between The UFC and Bellator in general.But it wasn't just that it beat the ufc prelims, it was that it beat every ufc cable event this year, many of which didn't just include unknowns.