WWE SmackDown experienced a significant decline in viewership on September 20, averaging 1.495 million viewers, down 13.2% from the previous week, marking its lowest audience total of the year. The show garnered a 0.45 rating in the 18-49 demographic, leading cable television but reflecting an 18.2% drop from the prior week. Key segments included LA Knight defending his United States Championship against Andrade and a confrontation between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. Despite the ratings dip, SmackDown ranked first in its demographic among cable originals, outperforming college football on ESPN. Fans expressed surprise at the lower ratings given the high-profile storylines leading to the Bad Blood event in October. Overall, the show continues to be a major part of WWE's programming, despite recent viewership challenges.