WWE SmackDown Final Viewership Up With Gauntlet Match, WWE Total Bellas Viewership Up

Friday's live WWE SmackDown, featuring a Gauntlet Match main event to determine the Royal Rumble opponent for WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, drew an average of 2.120 million viewers on FOX, according to Showbuzz Daily.

This final number is up from the overnight viewership that was released on Saturday morning, which was an average of 2.003 million viewers. This number is also up 5.3% from last week's final SmackDown viewership of 2.013 million viewers for the New Year's episode.

Friday's SmackDown drew a 0.56 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, a 0.68 rating in the 25-54 demo, and a 0.31 rating in the 18-34 demographic. Last week's SmackDown drew a 0.53 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, a 0.65 rating in the 25-54 demo, and a 0.35 rating in the 18-34 demographic.

SmackDown ranked #6 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV. SmackDown ranked #3 in the 18-34 demo this week, and #6 in the 25-54 demo. SmackDown came in at #9 for the night in viewership on network TV. The Blue Bloods special on CBS topped the night on network TV in viewership this week with 6.563 million viewers. Shark Tank topped the night in the 18-49 demographic with a 0.81.

CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 at 8pm topped the night on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.82 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC topped the night in cable viewership with 5.152 million viewers.

On a related note, last Thursday's new episode of WWE Total Bellas drew 426,000 viewers on the E! network, according to Showbuzz Daily. The show drew a 0.20 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, ranking #53 for the night on the Cable Top 150. This would be up from the last Total Bellas episode, which aired on December 17. That show drew 305,000 viewers and ranked #59 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.12 rating in the key demo.

Below is our 2021 SmackDown Viewership Tracker:

January 1 Episode: 2.013 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic (New Year's episode)
January 8 Episode: 2.120 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode:

2020 Total: 113.372 million viewers
2020 Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)

2019 Total: 112.530 million viewers
2019 Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)

2018 Total: 122.304 million viewers
2018 Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode

2017 Total: 132.401 million viewers
2017 Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode

Below is our Total Bellas Season 6 Ratings & Viewership Tracker:

Episode 1: 416,000 viewers with a 0.19 rating in the 18-49 demographic (season premiere)
Episode 2: 257,000 viewers with a 0.12 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Episode 3: 299,000 viewers with a 0.14 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Episode 4: 219,000 viewers with a 0.08 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Episode 5: 305,000 viewers with a 0.12 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Episode 6: 426,000 viewers with a 0.20 rating in the 18-49 demographic
Episode 7:

Season 5 Viewership Total: 5.589 million viewers
Season 5 Average: 508,090 viewers per episode (11 episodes)

Season 4 Viewership Total: 4.360 million viewers
Season 4 Average: 436,000 viewers per episode (10 episodes)

Season 3 Viewership Total: 6.342 million viewers
Season 3 Average: 634,200 viewers per episode (10 episodes)

Season 2 Viewership Total: 4.702 million viewers
Season 2 Average: 587,750 viewers per episode (8 episodes)

Season 1 Viewership Total: 3.842 million viewers
Season 1 Average: 640,000 viewers per episode (6 episodes)