WWE SmackDown Final Viewership And Rating For Becky Lynch's Return And SummerSlam Fallout

Friday's live post-SummerSlam edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.250 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.

This final number is down 21.71% from the overnight viewership that was released on Saturday morning, which was an average of 2.874 million viewers. This number is up 7.04% from last week's final SmackDown viewership of 2.102 million viewers.

Friday's SmackDown drew a 0.59 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 3.51% from last week's 0.57 rating. That 0.59 rating represents 764,000 viewers in the 18-49 key demographic, which is up 3.52% from the 738,000 18-49 viewers from last week, according to Wrestlenomics.

SmackDown ranked #1 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, for the third week in a row. SmackDown also ranked #1 in the 18-34 demo this week, for the third week in a row, and #1 in the 25-54 demo, for the third week in a row. SmackDown came in at #4 for the night in viewership on network TV. 20/20 on ABC topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 2.896 million viewers.

As noted, AEW Rampage on TNT topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.34 rating in the 18-49 key demo, drawing just 722,000 viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night in cable viewership with 3.694 million viewers, ranking #3 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.28 rating in the key demo.

This appears to be the first time pro wrestling has topped cable and network TV in the same night.

Friday's SmackDown drew the best audience since the July 16 episode, which was the first episode with live fans back in the crowd. SmackDown drew the second-best key demo rating since that same July 16 episode. Friday's viewership was up 7.04% from the week before, while the key demo rating was up 3.51% from the week before.

Viewership for Friday's SmackDown episode was up 5% from the same week in 2020, while Friday's 18-49 key demo rating was down 1.7% from the same week in 2020.

Friday's post-SummerSlam edition of SmackDown from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas had just a few happenings advertised ahead of time – fallout from the pay-per-view, the blue brand return of SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch, Rick Boogs and WWE Intercontinental Champion King Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode, plus a Family Celebration segment with WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, which was the show-closing segment.

Stay tuned for more ratings data. Below is our 2021 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday's show:

January 1 Episode: 2.013 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic (New Year's episode)
January 8 Episode: 2.120 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode: 2.262 million viewers with a 0.67 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 22 Episode: 2.383 million viewers with a 0.63 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 29 Episode: 2.304 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 5 Episode: 2.257 million viewers with a 0.65 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Royal Rumble episode)
February 12 Episode: 1.990 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 19 Episode: 2.217 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic
February 26 Episode: 2.145 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Elimination Chamber episode)
March 5 Episode: 2.252 million viewers with a 0.60 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 12 Episode: 2.171 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 19 Episode: 2.093 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
March 26 Episode: 2.191 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Fastlane episode)
April 2 Episode: 2.137 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 9 Episode: 2.250 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 16 Episode: 2.119 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-WrestleMania 37 episode)
April 23 Episode: 2.121 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic
April 30 Episode: 2.018 million viewers with a 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 7 Episode: 2.282 million viewers with a 0.65 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Throwback episode)
May 14 Episode: 1.917 million viewers with a 0.44 rating in the 18-49 demographic
May 21 Episode: 1.933 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-WrestleMania Backlash episode)
May 28 Episode: 1.928 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 4 Episode: 1.883 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 11 Episode: 1.944 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 18 Episode: 2.045 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic
June 25 Episode: 1.971 million viewers with a 0.54 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Hell In a Cell episode)
July 2 Episode: 1.861 million viewers with a 0.46 rating in the 18-49 demographic
July 9 Episode: 1.986 million viewers with a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Final ThunderDome era)
July 16 Episode: 2.310 million viewers with a 0.66 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Return to the road episode)
July 23 Episode: 2.137 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Money In the Bank episode)
July 30 Episode: 2.043 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 6 Episode: 2.169 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 13 Episode: 2.084 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 20 Episode: 2.102 million viewers with a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic
August 27 Episode: 2.250 million viewers with a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-SummerSlam episode)
September 3 Episode:

2020 Total: 113.372 million viewers
2020 Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)

2019 Total: 112.530 million viewers
2019 Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)

2018 Total: 122.304 million viewers
2018 Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode

2017 Total: 132.401 million viewers
2017 Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode