Viewership numbers for AEW Rampage featuring CM Punk’s debut and Smackdown
The August 20th 2021 episode of AEW Rampage, featuring the debut of CM Punk, drew 1,129,000 viewers with 692,000 (0.53 rating) in the 18-49 demo and the show finished 2nd for the night on cable television. The first quarter hour with CM Punk appearing drew 1,341,000 viewers with a 842,000 (0.65 rating) in the 18-49 demo. Including Dynamite episodes, Friday’s Rampage was the 4th most watched AEW television show on TNT to date.
The first episode of AEW Rampage on Friday night drew 740,000 viewers with a 0.31 18-49 demo and the show finished 3rd for the night on cable television.
Smackdown’s final viewership numbers for 8/20/21 were 2,102,000 viewers total with 738,000 (0.57 rating) in the 18-49 demo.
The opening quarter-hour with the return of CM Punk was watched by 1,341,000 viewers on average and 842,000 in the demo (0.65).https://t.co/Z0rG5QbZu4
— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) August 23, 2021
The only AEW Dynamite quarters-hours more highly viewed in 18 to 49 than CM Punk's debut were for the debut episode on October 2, 2019.
Similar for total viewers, with the exception of Jericho vs. Harwood w/ Mike Tyson ringside in on April 14.
Read more: https://t.co/MHLRzund9Q pic.twitter.com/GI30E3glFB
— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) August 23, 2021
As Brandon noted, AEW beat Smackdown in males 18-49, persons 18-34, females 18-34, males 35-49 and was within 46,000 of tying persons 18-49. On a Friday at 10 PM.
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) August 23, 2021