The presence of Brock Lesnar draws viewers back to WWE Raw, resulting in a notable increase in ratings

After a slight decline during the July 4th weekend, WWE Raw’s Nielsen ratings have made a promising recovery in recent weeks. However, the real intrigue this week was the highly anticipated return of Brock Lesnar. With this in mind, let’s examine the extent of the impact, if any, his presence had on the ratings.

According to reports from Pro Wrestling Torch and updates from Wrestlenomics’ Twitter and Patreon pages, Monday’s episode of “Raw” averaged 1,881,000 viewers—an increase of 4% compared to the previous week. Among these viewers, approximately 740,000 fell into the coveted “key demo” of adults aged 18 to 49, marking a rise of approximately 2% from the prior week. This translates to a 0.57 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic.

While no direct comparative ranking data is available at the time of writing, Programming Insider had earlier projected that USA Network would emerge as the top network in prime time for the night, thanks to the success of “Raw.” The final network prime time numbers at SpoilerTV confirm this claim across all three hours of prime time. However, during the first hour of “Raw,” ABC’s “Jeopardy Masters” managed to outperform the show, securing a 0.66 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic. The rating then halved during an “American Idol” clip show, slightly lowering the prime time average. Nonetheless, this week’s episode of “Raw” achieved a 0.57 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic, showcasing a 4% increase compared to the average of 2023 and the previous 10 weeks, both of which sit at 0.55. Comparing year-over-year data, “Raw” has experienced a significant 20% growth in ratings, as the year-to-date average at this point last year was 0.46.

The return of Brock Lesnar undoubtedly generated excitement among viewers, leading to a notable upswing in WWE Raw’s ratings. This surge not only surpasses the recent average but also demonstrates significant growth compared to last year. As the landscape of professional wrestling continues to evolve, the presence of marquee names like Lesnar proves to be a valuable draw for fans and helps drive the success of flagship programs such as WWE Raw.