or


[05/03/05 - 12:00 AM]
Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship(R) Brand Announce Strategic Partnership for 2005 and 2006
[via press release from Spike TV]

Spike TV and the Ultimate Fighting Championship(R) Brand Announce Strategic Partnership for 2005 and 2006

Exclusive Deal Includes Two New Seasons of 'The Ultimate Fighter(TM),' LIVE Fights, Plus 26 UFC Specials

NEW YORK, May 3 -- Spike TV and The Ultimate Fighting Championship(R) organization have agreed to a two-year strategic partnership, it was announced jointly today by Doug Herzog, President, Spike TV and Dana White, President, Zuffa, LLC d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship(R). The main components of the deal are new seasons of the highly-rated reality series, The Ultimate Fighter(TM), which will premiere Monday, August 22 at 11:00pm ET/PT. In addition the deal includes six LIVE fight cards -- two this year and four in '06. The announcement comes on the heels of the finale of The Ultimate Fighter which drew 2.6 million viewers and more Men 18-34 than CBS's Masters golf tournament coverage on Saturday, April 9.

"The UFC(R) brand is a sports entity on the rise and we are thrilled to continue our already successful relationship with them," said Herzog. "The passion and dedication that Dana White brings to the sport of mixed martial arts and the brand is the driving force behind its success."

"We always knew that Spike TV would be an incredible partner to work with and one of the best places for our product to be viewed. We were right on both counts," noted White.

"The Ultimate Fighter is a show like none other and it found its audience like a heat seeking missile from the beginning. It continues to beat down the competition and we can't wait to produce the next two seasons," said Craig Piligian, the executive producer for the show.

The Spike TV deal includes the following:

* A second and third season of the highly successful reality series, The Ultimate Fighter. Production for Season 2 will begin in early June and consist of eight heavyweights and eight welterweights. Celebrity coaches and a host are to be announced. The show will once again be taped in Las Vegas where the company maintains its UFC(R) Training Center.

* Six LIVE fight cards featuring some of the well-known names from UFC sporting events. Two will be in '05 and four in '06.

* 26 one-hour episodes of an untitled series of great moments from the UFC(R) vast library of fight footage.

Season #1 (13 weeks) of The Ultimate Fighter averaged a 1.7 HH rating (1.5 million) with a 2.0 (1,015,000) in M18-49 a 2.4 (604,000) in M18-34 and an average audience of 2.1 million viewers. Forrest Griffin (light heavyweight) and Diego Sanchez (middleweight) were The Ultimate Fighter champions for the premiere season and each received a six-figure deal with the UFC(R) organization. Stephan Bonnar was also awarded a contract after his epic battle in the Finals versus Griffin. The audience peaked during the Bonnar/Griffin fight with 3.3 million viewers.

Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana Whiteof Zuffa, LLC are the show's executive producers. Jim Burns is Senior Vice President, Sports & Specials, Spike TV and serves as Executive in Charge of Production for Spike TV.

SOURCE Spike TV
Web Site: http://www.spiketv.com





  [may 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· ULTIMATE FIGHTER, THE (PARAMOUNT PLUS)




[10/21/26 - 03:31 PM]
BET Renews "ComicView: Rooftop Series" for a Second Season
The 20-episode order puts 60 comedians on the Hollywood rooftop and cements the series as an anchor of the network's Comedy Fun Night.
[10/21/26 - 03:15 PM]
It's Back to School at "Abbott Elementary" as Show Returns with Over 6 Million Total Viewers
The premiere episode scored the show's best streaming performance since Season 4, based on views over seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
[10/21/26 - 02:31 PM]
Commanders-49ers on "Monday Night Football" Delivers 17.9 Million Viewers
Six weeks into ESPN's Super Bowl LXI season, "Monday Night Football" is up 23% compared to the same point in 2025, averaging 19 million viewers.
[10/21/26 - 11:31 AM]
"Tyler Perry's Beauty In Black" Season 4 Kicks Off Production in Atlanta
"'Beauty in Black' is back for Season 4 and the Bellarie family's story is far from finished," said Perry.
[10/21/26 - 11:30 AM]
Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya to Star in "Fourth Wing" on Prime Video
McGregor will play the fiercely intelligent and often underestimated Violet Sorrengail; while Sakraya will play the enigmatic and ruthless Xaden Riorson.
[10/21/26 - 11:21 AM]
"Blue Lights" Season Four Chronicles a Changing Belfast as the Acclaimed Drama Returns to BritBox
Other November highlights include the return of "Death Valley" on November 17.
[10/21/26 - 10:01 AM]
Hulu Announces Tinx as Host of "The Circle," Featuring Celebrity Contestants and Audience Voting
Beginning November 17, "The Circle" will debut three new episodes weekly, airing Tuesday through Thursday for five weeks, culminating in the season finale on Friday, December 18.
[10/21/26 - 09:30 AM]
Video: It Has All Led to This - Forging The One Ring to Rule Them All in Season 3 Trailer for "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" from Prime Video
The first four episodes of season three will premiere on November 11, 2026.
[10/21/26 - 09:07 AM]
FOX Sports Expands Year-Round Horse Racing Coverage with Gulfstream Park Championship Meet
As part of the agreement, the $1 million EquiTrack Florida Derby will air live on FOX broadcast network on March 27, 2027.
[10/21/26 - 09:00 AM]
Versant Announces Licensing Agreement to Stream E!'s "The Golden Life" on Hulu
The first two episodes will be available on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. beginning November 3, with remaining episodes available seven days after premiering on E!.
[10/21/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Avedon" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The life and work of legendary photographer Richard Avedon come into focus through archival footage and new interviews in this intimate documentary.
[10/21/26 - 08:30 AM]
Prime Video Unveils Key Art and Premiere Date for Docuseries "The Boy Who Stole Billions?" Premiering November 30
The series delves into one of the biggest frauds in U.S. history with unprecedented access and exclusive firsthand accounts from Sam Bankman-Fried himself from prison.
[10/21/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Taken: Natalee Holloway" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In 2005, Natalee Holloway vanished in Aruba. This true-crime series traces the years-long search that led her mother face-to-face with the alleged killer.
[10/21/26 - 07:01 AM]
Epic New Landmark Natural History Series, "Blue Planet III," Set to Premiere Saturday, January 23 on BBC America and AMC+
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the major new six-part natural history series will reveal brand new and untold stories from magical underwater worlds, exploring stories of adaptation and resilience in this changing world, along with stories of hope and recovery.
[10/21/26 - 06:39 AM]
NFL Network's London Slate Culminates with 6.4M Viewers for Jaguars-Texans
Season to date, through three games in London, NFL Network is averaging 6.9M viewers, up 15% vs. the network's six-game International Series average last season.