WWE SmackDown has in the recent years been seen as a rehashed or less important version of Monday Night Raw but it has this week recorded a healthy following. 

The recent edition of SmackDown saw an increase from last week's show which will be a positive sign ahead of the upcoming Brand Extension.

SmackDown on the rise

SmackDown has seen a viewership increase on its televised shows (image: q103albany.com)
SmackDown has seen a viewership increase on its televised shows (image: q103albany.com)

You speak of SmackDown to wrestling fans and the replies of boring spill out as gone are the days when the show was the WWE's most successful.

However it is still drawing in a healthy crowd as the Thursday, June 2016 edition was able to draw 2.073 million viewers and finished fourth on the Cable Television viewership figures.

The wrestling show was beaten by the Copa America on FOX Sports, The O'Reilly Factor, and The Kelly file but fourth place is nothing to be scoffed at and just be appreciated ahead of exciting times for the company. 

Last week's edition drew 1.996 million viewers - still a fairly impressive rating and the heads of the company will be pleased to have seen that following increase, even slightly the following week.

Why did SmackDown draw such a high number?

AJ Styles performing the Calf Crushes on Xavier Woods (image:f4wonline.com)
AJ Styles performing the Calf Crushes on Xavier Woods (image:f4wonline.com)

The highest rated show, was Football and considering that Soccer is the most popular sport in the world it was no surprise that it smashed SmackDown's rating but in spite of this, recording more than 2 million viewers is nothing short of great news. 

The reason's behind this may have been that it is the last chance to further the storyline to the mainaudience ahead of this Sunday's Money in the Bank pay per view.

Fans will have tuned in to see if there are any last minute twists or turns in the narrative so as that they are up to date with the latest on-goings in the WWE.

With a stacked card including all members of the Money in the Bank ladder match in 6-man tag-team match as well as AJ Styles going one-on-one against Xavier Woods, the card was always bound to draw viewer's interest. 

The on-going feuds were given their last feed and were all set for this Sunday which they have been billing as 'equal to WrestleMania' in what is likely to be one of the biggest ppv's of the year so far.

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About the author
Joel Lampkin
Sports Journalist from Chester University, Professional wrestling writer. Contact [email protected]