October wasn’t the best month for WWE SmackDown, but the show has maintained steady ratings, and its viewership seems to be on the rise. Last Friday’s episode, which featured Sami Zayn’s return, saw a ratings boost.
According to Programming Insider, the November 21 episode averaged 1.21 million viewers on USA Network, marking a 4.5% increase from the November 14 episode. It ranked number 2 on cable TV and saw a 7.4% rise in the key 18-49 demographic with a rating of 0.29. F4Wonline noted this was the show’s highest viewership since Nielsen switched to a new “big data + panel model” rating system. ESPN’s College Football led the night with a 0.47 rating in the same demographic, featuring Florida State vs. North Carolina State, with North Carolina State winning 21-11. Earlier in the fall, ratings dipped significantly, affected by events such as the World Series and Halloween.
On the November 21 episode, Cody Rhodes was attacked by Drew McIntyre backstage. Ilya Dragunov defended the WWE United States Championship successfully against JD McDonagh. The Last Time is Now tournament saw Carmelo Hayes beat Bronson Reed (though Hayes lost later on Raw) and Penta defeating Finn Balor. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa defeated Axiom and Nathan Frazier. The show closed with AJ Lee and Becky Lynch being confirmed for the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series on November 29. Lynch’s team includes Nia Jax, Rush Legend, Asuka, and Kairi Sane, while Lee will team with Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, and Charlotte Flair.
The November 28 episode, filmed ahead of schedule for the holidays, will feature Last Time is Now tournament matches and a 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination match, pitting The MFT against Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rey Fenix, and the Motor City Machine Guns.
Fan Take: This surge in SmackDown’s ratings signals renewed fan interest, especially with the return of popular wrestlers and high-stakes tournaments. For WWE fans, it means thrilling storylines and competitive matches are ahead, which could invigorate the sport and bring back lapsed viewers.
