Bellator 49 ratings: Event draws 235,000 MTV2 viewers, ranks fourth all-time

This past weekend's Bellator 49 event on MTV2, which kicked off the organization's fifth season, drew 235,000 viewers, MTV officials today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Of the 15 MTV2-televised Bellator events to date, Bellator 49 ranked fourth all-time in ratings history.
Bellator 49 took place this past Saturday, Sept. 10, at New Jersey’s Caesars Atlantic City and kicked off the organization's season-five welterweight tournament.

In addition to the MTV2-televised main card, the Bellator 49 preliminary card streamed live on Spike.com.
An immediate MTV2 replay of Bellator 49 drew 153,000 viewers.

In the four quarterfinal bouts that kicked off the tournament, Chris Lozano, Ben Saunders, Luis Santos and Douglas Lima all picked up victories and qualified for next month's semifinal round. The winner earns a guaranteed title shot with either champ Ben Askren or upcoming title-challenger Jay Hieron, who square off later this season.

Bellator's first-run ratings on MTV2 include:

• Bellator 35 ratings: 200,000 viewers
• Bellator 36 ratings: 230,000
• Bellator 37 ratings: 173,000
• Bellator 38 ratings: 150,000
• Bellator 39 ratings: 174,000
• Bellator 40 ratings: 218,000
• Bellator 41 ratings: 132,000
• Bellator 42 ratings: 199,000
• Bellator 43 ratings: 182,000
• Bellator 44 ratings: 325,000
• Bellator 45 ratings: 264,000
• Bellator 46 ratings: 185,000
• Bellator 47 ratings: 277,000
• Bellator 48 ratings: 226,000
• Bellator 49 ratings: 235,000

Bellator's three monthly "Summer Series" events averaged 242,000 viewers. Season four, which took place earlier this year, averaged 204,000 viewers per event.


source:mmajunkie