The latest edition of AEW Dynamite saw an increase in ratings, thanks in part to the contribution of WWE Superstar CM Punk.
AEW heavily promoted the segment featuring The Young Bucks, showcasing never-before-seen backstage footage. The footage dates back to AEW All In London in August 2023. This was when former AEW star CM Punk had a backstage altercation with Jack Perry after the latter took a shot at Punk on TV.
On Dynamite, The Young Bucks showed the footage without mentioning CM Punk’s name. Instead, they referred to him as a friend of FTR, who are scheduled to face the Bucks at AEW Dynasty. The footage depicts Punk confronting Perry backstage after his match. It featured Punk pushing Perry and putting him in a face lock. However, they were quickly separated by Samoa Joe and backstage officials.
Despite backlash from fans and wrestling veterans for releasing controversial behind-the-scenes footage, AEW Dynamite performed strongly in ratings. This week’s episode garnered an average of 819,000 viewers and a 0.30 rating among individuals aged 18-49.
This marks an improvement over last week’s episode. It had attracted 747,000 viewers and scored a 0.23 rating in the same demographic. In other words, the release of the controversial backstage footage favored the AEW.
AEW President Tony Khan reacts to Dynamite drawing huge numbers
AEW President Tony Khan may have faced backlash for showcasing the clip of the backstage altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry. However, following the release of the AEW Dynamite ratings, Khan took to Twitter to react to the show’s big numbers.
Khan’s tweet highlighted that AEW Dynamite experienced a 29% increase from the previous week and a 17% increase over the prior six-week average. He thanked all the fans who tuned in to watch the show despite featuring great matches with Adam Copeland, Chris Jericho, and Samoa Joe. The spotlight primarily shifted to their competitor’s star, CM Punk.
