WWE Unhappy With Mixed Match Challenge Viewership Dip

WWE officials are said to be disappointed with early viewership figures for the Facebook-streamed Mixed Match Challenge, according to the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer.

An inter-gender tag team tournament featuring stars from Raw and SmackDown, the show premiered last month on January 16. It is set to run for a total of 12 episodes, with the victorious team winning $100,000 for a charity of their choice.

In a bid to drum up engagement, WWE has already given fans the opportunity to participate in an online vote to find Bayley's new partner after Samoa Joe pulled out through injury. There will be a second vote at the semi-final stage, in which viewers get to award one of the teams eliminated in an earlier round a "second chance".

But, just four episodes in, company heads are reportedly growing concerned about the level of interest in the show. Viewership is said to have fallen dramatically since its premiere, despite the most recent episode featuring Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman, the most popular "couple".

There are still three remaining first round matches to contest: Goldust and Mandy Rose versus Jimmy Uso and Naomi, Elias and Bayley versus Rusev and Lana, and Apollo Crews and Nia Jax versus Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair.