WWE SmackDown Viewership Stays Flat For Go-Home Episode Before SummerSlam

The latest "WWE SmackDown" was the go-home show before SummerSlam 2023, but the episode didn't lead to a surge in viewers compared to recent installments. According to WrestleNomics, the August 4 edition of the blue brand's weekly show was watched by 2,248,000 on average. This was slightly down from last week's show, which pulled in 2,323,000 viewers.

The report also states that the go-home edition marked the lowest viewership for "SmackDown" since the May 26 episode. That said, despite the flat rating, the advertiser-coveted P18-49 demographic increased from last week's 0.61 rating, albeit by 1 percent. Of the total viewers who tuned in for the episode, 812,000 were aged between 18 and 49.

The August 4 edition of SmackDown boasted plenty of action that built more hype for Saturday's premium live event. LA Knight took on Sheamus in a singles match, while Jey Uso faced his brother Solo Sikoa ahead of his "Tribal Combat" showdown with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam.

Elsewhere, Ridge Holland and Butch took on Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, United States Champion Austin Theory battled Cameron Grimes, and IYO SKY collided with Zelina Vega. Grayson Waller also made an appearance, hosting his "Grayson Waller Effect" talk show with Damage CTRL at his guests.

While the show didn't bring in a record-high viewership, next week's show should attract more watchers as the WWE Universe will be keen to witness the fallout from the SummerSlam main event. Jimmy Uso betrayed his brother and helped Reigns pick up the victory, marking the latest twist in the ongoing Bloodline storyline.