WWE SmackDown Ratings Drop Without Roman Reigns, Jey Uso

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This past week's episode of "WWE SmackDown" was notably missing two of its key attractions: Roman Reigns and Jey Uso. Perhaps as a consequence, many fans opted to give the post-Payback Friday night episode a miss. Recent data from Wrestlenomics reveals that "SmackDown" witnessed a significant 14% decline in its viewership, averaging just 2,094,000 viewers.

Distinctly alarming is the 18% drop in the P18-49 demographic, resulting in a viewership of only 692,000 - marking the lowest since May 26 for that segment. Overall, it was the lowest viewership since August 18. This decline is even more pronounced when contrasted with the viewership dip the previous week, just ahead of Payback.

However, there's a silver lining: "SmackDown" still managed to top all other sports programs in the coveted P18-49 demographic on Friday.

SmackDown Pivotal Moments

The episode started strong with the most viewership recorded during the opening segment.

Notably, it peaked towards the end, particularly in the P18-49 segment, during the climax of A.J. Styles' showdown with Jimmy Uso. This match ended in chaos as Solo Sikoa ambushed Styles after the bout. Additionally, fans witnessed L.A.

Knight secure a win against former United States Champion Austin Theory, even with the distracting presence of Grayson Waller in Theory's corner. The much-talked-about faction, The Judgment Day, saw WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions Finn Balor and Damian Priest clinch a victory against Butch and Ridge Holland, representing The Brawling Brutes.

Amid the ever-fluctuating world of professional wrestling broadcasts, "AEW Dynamite" recorded an encouraging trend last Wednesday. The show experienced a gentle increase in viewership, an aftermath presumably influenced by the much-hyped All Out pay-per-view event that had fans buzzing.

In a parallel timeline, "WWE Raw" showcased its resilience and consistency. Despite the competitive landscape and varying viewer preferences, Raw not only managed to maintain its viewership base but also charted a commendable two-percent growth in ratings. This uptick can be largely attributed to the lingering excitement from the Payback event.