Last week, “WWE NXT” drew 674,000 viewers for its final January episode—marking its highest audience since October. However, despite efforts to build on that momentum with multiple title defenses and a ladder match to determine the new NXT Champion during last Tuesday’s show, viewership failed to rise.
Data from Wrestlenomics and Programming Insider reveals that “NXT” averaged 629,000 viewers and scored a 0.08 rating in the key 18-49 age demographic. This represents a 7% drop in total viewers compared to the previous week, while the 18-49 rating remained steady at 0.08. The lower-than-expected figures came amid strong competition, including CBS’s NBA regular season broadcast, which dominated the 18-49 demo with a 0.34 rating, and seven NHL games played before the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Although “NXT” has consistently attracted over 600,000 viewers so far this year, its total audience has decreased by 18% since February 2025. A more worrying trend is the 56% decline in its 18-49 demographic viewership year-over-year. While “NXT” continues to showcase emerging talent and promote former stars to WWE’s main roster, it remains uncertain whether it can maintain appeal with younger wrestling fans. WWE is eager to bolster its performance in this critical demographic, especially as it usually relies on the WrestleMania season to boost ratings for “WWE Raw” and “WWE SmackDown.” Whether “NXT” can achieve similar success during this period is yet to be seen.
Fan Take: This update is crucial for WWE supporters because the 18-49 demographic is key to the company’s long-term success and sponsorship potential. If “NXT” cannot better engage younger viewers soon, it risks losing relevance and may impact the overall future growth of WWE’s talent pipeline and brand.
