TUF 31 produces 294k average viewers, less than half of Conor McGregor’s previous The Ultimate Fighter appearance

The premiere episode for season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, featuring Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, averaged 294,000 viewers.

Whenever Conor McGregor is around, people sit up and listen to what he says. The Irishman is easily the biggest star in the history of mixed martial arts, and his return is set to be one of the biggest events of the year for the sport.

Before he fights, though, he’s been partaking in the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter. McGregor is one of the head coaches this year alongside Michael Chandler, with the two expected to battle one another toward the end of 2023.

RELATED: DANA WHITE SAYS CONOR MCGREGOR AND MICHAEL CHANDLER SHOWED ‘A LEVEL OF RESPECT’ ON TUF 31

You’d have thought this would lead to an increased viewership for TUF this year. While that’s true in comparison to some past seasons, it’s way down when compared to his past season of coaching with Urijah Faber, as reported by MMA Fighting.

Conor McGregor’s return for The Ultimate Fighter 31 produces 294k average viewers on ESPN (@DamonMartin) https://t.co/awGrxbi9Mn pic.twitter.com/EDXgp1vv9I

— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) June 5, 2023

McGregor disappointment?

According to the report, an average of 294,000 viewers tuned in for the debut episode on ESPN. When compared to the Faber season it doesn’t hold up too well, with that debut episode registering 622,000 average viewers on FOX Sports 1. It finished at #11 on cable on Tuesday night, earning a .14 share in the 18-to-49 year old demographic.

It’s hard to say that the UFC will take too much away from this. After all, they’ve already got the lucrative deal with ESPN secured. However, you would’ve imagined that this series would garner more interest.

In terms of reviews for the episode itself, a lot of fans and pundits were disappointed that just one bout was featured. That format will almost certainly change as the weeks go on and we get closer and closer to the finale.

Did you watch and enjoy the premiere episode of TUF 31 featuring Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!