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AEW Rampage failed to defeat WWE SmackDown in overnight ratings on the first occasion when the two shows went head-to-head, albeit for only 30 minutes.
SmackDown registered a viewership of 793k viewers, while Rampage drew only 549k fans in Fast Nationals viewership per Showbuzz Daily. This week, Blue Brand aired on FS1 instead of FOX Network, resulting in lowered ratings compared to the regular two million viewers.
SmackDown ran a supersized show from 8 pm to 10:30 pm, with its final 30 minutes clashing with Rampage, starting at 10 pm. AEW also aired an exclusive Rampage Buy-In on YouTube directly against SmackDown's second hour.
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On the brighter side for AEW Rampage, its ratings are up from last week's 502k viewers, the lowest in the show's history. As for SmackDown, last Friday's episode drew 2.147 million fans, considerably higher than this week's ratings since it aired on FOX Network.
However, Fast National viewership is just preliminary ratings and can be inaccurate at times. The actual numbers emerge on Monday, and fans will have to wait to learn the complete picture of the ratings war between Rampage and SmackDown.
AEW President Tony Khan had challenged WWE SmackDown
Last week, when WWE SmackDown announced a half-hour overrun for this week's episode, AEW boss Tony Khan quickly issued a challenge. Khan tweeted that he couldn't wait to see AEW Rampage defeat SmackDown in ratings.
However, in a later interview, Tony Khan clarified that though he was not sure if Rampage will defeat SmackDown in ratings, he promised a better show. He also took shots at this week's WWE RAW, saying that the show "sucked."
What do you make WWE SmackDown defeating AEW Rampage in Fast National ratings? Do you think the actual viewership could paint a much different picture? Sound off in the comments section below.
