Television ratings for both major promotions faced stiff sports competition, as WWE SmackDown experienced a notable viewership drop following a clash with the World Series, while AEW Collision bounced back with gains on cable.
According to Wrestlenomics, the October 23 episode of SmackDown on USA Network drew 1.1 million viewers, marking a decline from the 1.327 million viewers recorded on October 16. The blue brand also scored a 0.24 rating in the crucial 18 to 49 demographic, down from the previous week’s 0.32 rating. The dip coincided directly with Game One of the World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers on FOX, which pulled in over 12 million viewers.
YouTube Highlights And SmackDown Top Videos
Despite the lower television audience, digital engagement remained strong on WWE’s official YouTube channel, led by high-profile segments:
- FULL SEGMENT: Cody Rhodes challenges Randy Orton to a Last Man Standing Match (564K views)
- CM Punk and Kevin Owens trade insults during intense interview (405K views)
- Sami Zayn cheap shots Trick Williams in a fierce war of words (395K views)
- Bakusai engage The MFTs in a CHAOTIC BRAWL after Kyoki steals Haku’s staff (384K views)
- Tiffany Stratton saves Chelsea Green from The Judgment Day (377K views)
AEW Collision Ratings Recovery
Meanwhile, AEW Collision saw an upward trend over the weekend. Reporting from The Wrestling Observer indicated that the October 24 episode on TNT brought in 449,000 viewers. This represents a solid increase compared to the 372,000 viewers who tuned in on October 10 during the show’s last airing in its standard Saturday time slot.
Saturday’s broadcast also posted a 0.10 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic, rising significantly from the 0.04 demo rating on October 10. Collision continues to air concurrently on HBO Max, though streaming metrics from the platform remain unavailable.
Top digital clips driving interest on AEW’s YouTube channel included:
- Will Ospreay & Adam Copeland send INTENSE messages for Blood & Guts! (210K views)
- Adam Copeland makes a SURPRISE appearance and is out for REVENGE! (154K views)
- It’s Jon Moxley’s move now! (133K views)
- Bang Bang Gang NO MORE! Say hello to THE LAST OUTFIT! (113K views)
- Willow Nightingale calls for BLOOD AND GUTS! (83K views)
Check our complete 2026 WWE and AEW ratings tracking guide for full historical data
WA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wrestlingattitude/
WA on Facebook (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.facebook.com/WrestlingDivas/
WA on X/Twitter - https://x.com/wa_wrestling
WA on Instagram (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.instagram.com/wa_wrestlingattitude/
WA on Google News - https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMJf3owsw2oG8Aw
WA on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/wrestlingattitude.bsky.social
