UFC reportedly looking for controlling interest of G4 cable station

Signaling a possible end to their six-year Spike TV relationship, Ultimate Fighting Championship officials reportedly are interested in acquiring a controlling stake of G4.

The cable station, which is owned by Comcast, is available in approximately 60 million homes.

"The Wall Street Journal" first reported the possibility. "The New York Times" later reported that UFC officials, who met with Comcast officials on Wednesday, look to purchase a controlling stake of at least 60 percent.

UFC officials haven't commented on the reports, but MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) plans to speak to UFC president Dana White later today.

In addition to G4 – a channel geared toward tech-savvy and videogame-playing young males – Comcast also owns Versus, which has an existing broadcast deal with the UFC.

However, the UFC's most high-profile deal is with Spike TV, which first began airing "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2005. Since then, the cable station, which is available in 100 million homes, has aired 13 seasons of the show, 13 live finales, a host of UFC Fight Night and traditionally numbered shows, as well as array of specialty programming, including "UFC Unleashed," "UFC Countdown" and "UFC Primetime." In September, Spike TV also began airing live "UFC Prelims" specials prior to pay-per-view broadcasts.

However, according to the "Times," the UFC has been looking for $325 million a year from Spike TV, which is up from the $170 million it pays with its current deal, which expires at year's end. Ratings for "TUF" and other programs haven't exactly been stellar in the past year, though, and the recently concluded 13th season of "TUF" produced the reality show's lowest-ever ratings.

If the UFC doesn't renew the deal, that could open the door for Bellator Fighting Championships, which currently airs on sister channel MTV2, to move to Spike TV.

Following UFC 130 this past month, White confirmed talks with many television partners. (He's also frequently talked about the UFC launching its own channel.)

"There's no doubt we're looking around," he said. "When I say we're talking to everybody, we're talking to everybody. That's what you do when your deal is up."

However, when pressed about the possibility of staying on Spike TV, he simply confirmed their talks are ongoing.

If the UFC does move to G4, it's got some work ahead of it. Although one of television's most technologically advanced outlets, the nine-year-old channel has suffered from declining ratings in recent years, and DirecTV pulled the channel from its lineup in November.