WWE Vs. AEW Ratings: Rampage Stays Under 500,000 In Overnight Viewership

AEW Rampage’s overnight viewership was up following last week’s record-low number of 431,000, while SmackDown remained essentially even. SmackDown’s 1.965 million viewers was down .10% from last week’s 1.968 million, while Rampage’s overnight viewership of 483,000 was up 18% from a scary low overnight number of 409,000.

Though Rampage remained under 500,000 viewers per overnight data, the final number is likely to break the 500,000 threshold. Last week’s final viewership for Rampage was up 5% (or 22,000 viewers) from the overnight number.

Much like AEW Dynamite, Rampage was clearly affected by the Thanksgiving holiday, however AEW viewership has been slow to rebound. AEW Dynamite was surprisingly down 4% from last week’s Thanksgiving Eve show. Dynamite’s 861,000 viewers was its lowest number since May, though the promotion looks to break its eight-week streak under one million viewers with the Winter is Coming television special on December 15. The main event will see Bryan Danielson challenge Hangman Adam Page for the AEW World Championship.

WWE SmackDown vs. AEW Rampage Overnight Ratings | December 3, 2021

• WWE SmackDown Total Viewership—1.965 million
• WWE SmackDown 18-49 Viewership—618,000 viewers
• AEW Rampage Total Viewership—483,00 viewers
• AEW Rampage 18-49 Viewership—228,000 viewers

AEW Rampage advertised a largely paint-by-the-numbers show as TNT champion Sammy Guevara successfully defended his TNT Championship against former WWE Superstar Tony Nese, who was a massive underdog in the match despite compiling a 4-0 record on the unheralded AEW Dark. Dynamite also featured Jade Cargill in a squash match win over Janai Kai and a tag team main event of the Pent El Zero M and PAC vs. FTR.

SmackDown advertised the return of Brock Lesnar, who coerced Sami Zayn into challenging Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship. Despite the show-long promotion for the rare (but increasingly common) world title match on television, Reigns made quick work of Sami Zayn after Brock Lesnar suplexed the comedy heel into oblivion prior to his match against Reigns. Following the fallout from Cleopatra’s Egg mystery, this marks the second time in 11 days Zayn, a noted conspiracy theorist, has been screwed out of a legitimate world title opportunity.