WWE SmackDown Viewership Drops for September 26 Episode – Programming Insider reports that the September 26 edition of WWE SmackDown on USA Network averaged 1.238 million viewers, a decline from the 1.342 million viewers the September 19 episode brought in. The show posted a 0.35 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, also down from the 0.37 rating the week prior.
Despite the dip, SmackDown ranked second on cable Friday night, trailing only ESPN’s broadcast of Florida State vs. Virginia, which drew 4.3 million viewers and a strong 1.17 rating in the demo.
The September 26 broadcast featured several notable moments and matches. The show opened with Paul Heyman addressing the crowd before being interrupted by Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. That segment escalated when Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed attacked Rhodes, only for Randy Orton to step in and even the odds.
In tag team action, The Street Profits defeated Melo Don’t Miz to secure their spot as number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Later in the night, Sami Zayn successfully defended his United States Title against Je’Von Evans in an Open Challenge match.
The evening closed with Tiffany Stratton retaining the WWE Women’s Championship, overcoming both Nia Jax and Jade Cargill in a hard-hitting triple threat main event.
WWE’s official YouTube channel highlighted fan engagement, with the top five most-viewed clips from the episode as follows:
- Randy Orton helps Cody Rhodes take out The Vision – 1.1 million views
- Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax (FULL MATCH) – 739K views
- Jacob Fatu attacks Drew McIntyre with his own protective boot – 687K views
- Aleister Black hits Damian Priest with Black Mass – 447K views
- Sami Zayn vs. Je’Von Evans (U.S. Title Open Challenge) – 354K views
WWE SmackDown Viewership Drops for September 26 Episode
