‘The Ultimate Fighter 16’ Episode 2 Attracts 872,000 Viewers to FX

That figure represents a decline from the show’s premiere, which drew an audience of 947,000 viewers to FX for a two-hour episode on Sept. 14. Last Friday’s episode saw Team Carwin’s Neil Magny take a unanimous decision from Team Nelson member Cameron Diffley in a first-round matchup.

“The Ultimate Fighter” began airing on Spike in 2005 and remained on the network through last year. When the Ultimate Fighting Championship joined forces with Fox, the series moved to FX in 2012. “TUF 15” was the first iteration of the reality series to feature live fights at the end of each show, but the UFC has returned to the taped format for the current season.

Featuring former interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin and “TUF 10” winner Roy Nelson as coaches, “TUF 16” began with 32 welterweights vying for a six-figure UFC contract. Carwin and Nelson -- along with the 170-pound finalists -- will square off at the show’s finale on Dec. 15 in Las Vegas.