Lost opportunity for UFC?

This past Friday night the UFC made its long-awaited debut on FX with Fight Night live from Nashville, Tennessee. The 10-fight card was split between two of the FOX Sports family networks. FUEL TV hosted the preliminaries and the three-fight main card, which was headlined by lightweights Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard, took place on FX.

For fans channel surfing it probably took multiple takes to realize what you were watching was really a UFC card. Rather then the usual commentary of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, fans were treated to the tandem of Jon Anik and Kenny Florian. Plus, Ariel Helwani offered exclusive backstage interviews with fighters throughout the night.

The former MMA Live tandem did a good job cage side and the addition of Helwani gave audiences a night chalk full of information. However, it was noticeable that the duo was still getting their feet wet and are nowhere near the level of Rogan and Goldberg.

The night’s three-fight main card was less than stellar. UFC could have done a better job of adding at least one more fight to the card, but instead stuck with three on the main card. The fights delivered, but the television audience was left wanting more. Not to mention, if you’re a Comcast subscriber you can’t get FUEL TV but that’s for another article.

Mike Easton’s unanimous decision victory over UFC newcomer Jared Papazian had its fair share of exciting moments, but was not the explosive match-up that should have opened the FX card. Luckily, Josh Neer and Jim Miller ended the night with impressive performances. Neer used a guillotine submission to choke-out Duane Ludwig and Miller sunk in a rear-naked choke to end Guillard’s night.

Each of those fights ended in the first-round. That left enough time for FX to show some of the prelim fights that ended early, which saved the night’s telecast in my opinion. What really kept me interested was the debut of UFC Primetime: Diaz vs. Condit.

As much as it might’ve looked like it, the night wasn’t a total loss for the UFC. Premiering on FX is a big deal for the sport and it allows them to showcase their fighters and their business to a much wider and eclectic audience.

Follow me on Twitter @NiteshDutt.