WWE Smackdown Ratings Report (12/11): What difference did CM Punk make compared to year-ago rating and 13 week seasonal average in viewership and demos?

Last Friday’s episode of WWE Smackdown drew an average of 2.384 million viewers, up from 2.044 million the prior week. This episode featured the first advertised appearance of C.M. Punk on Smackdown since his return after a nearly decade away and the first WWE TV appearance since the Raw the prior week. It was the highest viewership since the Oct. 13 episode drew 2.417 million. The episode also featured Randy Orton teaming with L.A. Knight against The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso in Orton’s first Smackdown match since his return from injury.

The last 13 weeks of Smackdown on Fox have averaged 2.275 million viewers, so this drew just over 100,000 viewers than average.

One year ago, the Dec. 9, 2022 episode drew 2.206 million viewers.

In the key 18-49 demo, it drew a 0.81, up from 0.76 the prior week and matching the demo rating from Nov. 17 three weeks earlier. The average demo rating the last 13 weeks on Fox is 0.80, so this was in line with the recent average.

The 18-49 male demo drew a 0.63, up from 0.59 last week. The younger 18-34 male demo drew a 0.59 rating, up from 0.56 the prior week.

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OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: WWE Friday Night Smackdown results (12/8): Barnett’s review of CM Punk’s appearance, Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka, Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar and Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross in tourney matches for a shot at the U.S. Title