Monday Night Raw draws big viewership and ratings with Johnny Gargano return

This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw drew an average of two million viewers, an increase over last week’s 1.9 million. Showbuzz Daily is reporting that Raw ranked number two on cable with adults 18-49 and the second hour carrying the highest rating, followed by the third, and then the first. NFL preseason football ranked number one for the night.

Brandon Thurston is reporting that Raw is the only wrestling show on television that is up in August viewership and ratings over prior year. In the adult 18-49 demographic, Raw drew a 0.55 rating, which was a increase over prior week’s 0.53.

Edge vs. Damian Priest was the main event of this week’s show. It was Edge’s first match in his hometown of Toronto since returning to WWE in 2020. Edge was victorious in the match, but was attacked by The Judgement Day afterward. Beth Phoenix helped make the save as the show went off the air.

This week’s show also featured the return of former NXT Champion, Johnny Gargano. Gargano addressed the audience and said he returned to WWE before being confronted by Theory. Gargano ended up kicking Theory in the face before leaving the ring.

Other matches on Monday Night Raw this week included Finn Balor vs. Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens vs. Chad Gable, and Alexa Bliss & Asuka vs. Iyo Sky & Dakota Kai in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament. Balor, Owens, and the team of Sky & Kai were all victorious.

CATCH-UP: HEYDORN’S WWE RAW RECEIPT 8/22: Smart Johnny Gargano debut succeeds in crossing paths with Theory