By FCF Staff

Despite the withdrawal of Brazilian star Vitor Belfort, and expectations from some observers of a lower pay-per-view total, this past Saturday’s UFC 147 card in Belo Horizonte reportedly drew 20 million viewers.

The figure was first relayed by Tatame.com editor Eduardo Ferreira and then passed along in English by MMA.TV. The card was broadcast nationally on the Rede Globo television network.

Although the UFC had reportedly offered full refunds for the event’s tickets, 16,643 fans attended the event, which featured several fighters from the recent Brazilian edition of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

The UFC has not made any official announcement regarding the reported ratings.

In the card’s main event, Rich Franklin survived from nearly being stopped by Wanderlei Silva in round two, and went on to record a unanimous decision win over the renowned Brazilian fighter.