Final WWE Friday Night SmackDown Premiere Episode Viewership

Friday’s edition of the premiere episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX from averaged 3.888 million viewers, according to ShowbuzzDaily. This is up from the 2.099 million viewers that the show did for the final episode of SmackDown Live on the USA Network.

The show averaged 3.87 million viewers in the fast nationals. This number measured the top metered markets. The Kickoff show pulled in 2.329 viewers.

The episode was expected to increase in viewership due to the hype and big names that made an appearance.

The show had to go up against an MLB divisional games on the MLB Network that did 3.352 million viewers.

Matches that took place on this show include Brock Lesnar beating WWE Champion Kofi Kingston for the title in the headliner, Roman Reigns vs. Erick Rowan in a LumberJack Match, and Kevin Owens beating Shane McMahon to keep his job in a Ladder Match.

The show also featured appearances by the likes of heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury having a staredown with Braun Strowman and then jumping the barricade only to be escorted away from ringside.

The end saw the surprise appearance by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez appearing alongside Rey Mysterio to attack Lesnar. The show kicked off with The Rock doing a segment with Baron Corbin and WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.

WWE is expecting to see a continuation of good viewership for the following episode on FOX, which should be interesting to see what number it pulls in.