FUEL TV will have a bigger UFC presence than initially expected.
In fact FUEL TV general manager George Greenberg today told MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) on a media call with company executives that that the FOX-owned cable station will have approximately 25 percent of its content devoted to the UFC beginning in 2012.
Additionally, the channel, which currently is available only in a little more than 32 million homes, will be the new home for prelims that currently stream on Facebook.
Also, as part of the seven-year FOX-UFC deal that officially kicks off in 2012, all of the two-fight "UFC Prelims" special that currently air on Spike TV (after Facebook prelims and prior to pay-per-view events) instead will be shifted to FOX-owned FX. Both Spike TV and FX are available in approximately 100 million homes.
In other words, instead of an event airing/streaming on Facebook then Spike TV and then PPV, it'll air on FUEL TV, then FX and then PPV.
Facebook, which became the home for previously untelevised prelim fights earlier this year, won't stream any live bouts in 2012.
In addition to the prelim fights, FUEL TV will feature weigh-in specials (including Friday's for Saturday's UFC on FOX one-hour "teaser" event), "Countdown" and "Primetime" shows, past fights and other specialty programming. Additionally, it'll likely air upcoming international editions of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series (while the regular version of the show moves from Spike TV to FX).
However, though officials initially suggested the channel wouldn't air live events, UFC and FOX executives today said non-PPV overseas events will air live on FUEL TV, as well.
Officials said the FUEL TV events will run approximately three hours, live events on FX will run two hours, and the four annual shows on the FOX network are expected to run 90 minutes.
Source: FUEL TV to become UFC programming hub, 2012 prelims moving off Facebook
