In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted that Friday’s SmackDown averaged 1.1 million viewers on USA Network and a 0.25 rating in 18-49, down slightly.
SmackDown was down 62,000 viewers from the October 30 show, which averaged 1.162 million viewers and drew a 0.26 rating. That’s down 5.3 percent in total viewers. The 18-49 rating was down 3.8 percent.
SmackDown was also down from the same week in 2025. On November 7, 2025, the show averaged 1.141 million viewers and drew a 0.26 rating. Friday’s episode was down 3.6 percent in total viewers and 3.8 percent in 18-49.
WWE taped the episode on November 2 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, immediately after Raw, due to the company’s trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Crown Jewel took place on Saturday. On Friday, SmackDown was up against college football on ESPN.
Kevin Owens defeated CM Punk in a No Holds Barred match in the main event. The full match, which was posted on YouTube, has 832,000 views, more than any other video from the episode.
The next SmackDown, the first since Crown Jewel, will air on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network from the Amerant Bank Arena in Florida.