WWE SmackDown Ratings Improve For John Cena's Return (WWE News)
WWE SmackDown's viewership improves 10.5% for John Cena, Cody Rhodes contract signing.
WWE SmackDown's viewership improved 10.5% for John Cena's return to the blue brand last Friday (18 July).
Per Wrestlenomics, the show drew an average of 1.546 million viewers across its two hours on USA Network. This was up from the previous week's 1.399 million.
SmackDown's P18-49 rating also improved, hitting 0.45 on 18 July compared to 0.37 on 11 July. This was SmackDown's second straight week of growth in both metrics.
SmackDown finished first on the night amongst cable and broadcast television shows in the 18-39 demographic, beating the WNBA's 3-Point and Skills Challenge into second place with its 0.31 rating.
The Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online notes that SmackDown's current 10-week average is 1.388 million average viewers and a P18-49 rating of 0.37. Thus, last week's show outperformed both.
SmackDown's biggest draw was a contract signing between Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena and contender Cody Rhodes, with the headlining duo making their SummerSlam 2025 match official. As these things tend to in professional wrestling, the contract signing broke down into a brawl, ending with Rhodes striking Cena with the title belt, before hitting a top-rope diving splash to the champion through a table. The angle closed on Cody using an unconscious Cena's hand to sign the contract and announcing that the bout would be a Street Fight.
Match-wise, Charlotte Flair vs. Raquel Rodriguez and a WWE Tag Team Title Contendership bout pitting #DIY, Andrade and Rey Fenix, Fraxiom, and the Motor City Machine Guns against each other took top billing on Friday's SmackDown.
Data: Wrestlenomics, Programming Insider.