The July 25, 2025 episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown experienced a notable surge in viewership, attracting 1.707 million viewers on the USA Network, the highest audience since April 18, 2025. This increase was largely driven by the show’s heartfelt WWE SmackDown Hulk Hogan tribute, honoring the legendary wrestler who passed away the previous week at 71 years old.
WWE paid respect to Hogan through a ten-bell salute, a moving video package, and an emotional address delivered by Paul Triple H Levesque to open the broadcast. This tribute clearly resonated with the audience and contributed significantly to the ratings boost.
Dominance Among Key Demographics
SmackDown emerged as the top television show in the crucial 18-49 and 25-54 age groups, achieving a 0.48 rating among adults 18-49 and 0.63 among adults 25-54. The program’s appeal was particularly strong with male viewers, posting a 0.67 rating for men aged 18-49 and 0.91 for men 25-54, underscoring WWE’s continued success with male-skewed audiences.
Outperforming Competing Programs During Prime Time
Although SmackDown ranked ninth in total viewership for the night, it comfortably led its direct time slot rivals between 8 and 10 p.m. Reruns of ABC’s Celebrity Jeopardy! earned a 0.28 rating in the key demo, while NBC’s Dateline Classic managed only a 0.19, showing SmackDown’s clear advantage in capturing audience attention.
Building Momentum Ahead of SummerSlam 2025
With SummerSlam 2025 only days away and the emotional WWE SmackDown Hulk Hogan tribute fresh in viewers’ minds, WWE moves forward with strong momentum. The tribute segment honored a wrestling icon while engaging fans nationwide, setting a hopeful and reflective tone as the company prepares for its biggest events of the summer.
“The memorial segment resonated deeply with fans and likely contributed to the ratings spike.” —WWE Analyst
