The viewership numbers for CM Punk’s first appearance on AEW Dynamite have been revealed.
The wrestling world is still buzzing after Punk made his return. The self-proclaimed, “Best in the World” made his AEW debut on the Aug. 20 edition of Rampage. His entrance alone has become an instant classic as he received a thunderous ovation from the crowd inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
That episode of Rampage garnered an average viewership total of 1.1 million. Punk’s segment drew 1.3 million viewers. Many were impressed by the numbers as Rampage airs on Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET, which isn’t exactly an ideal night or timeslot.
The momentum is still alive and well if numbers from this week’s Dynamite episode are any indication.
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics reports that the Aug. 25 edition of Dynamite took in 1,172,000 viewers. On top of that, it scored a 0.48 rating in the 18-49 demo. This is the promotion’s second-highest rating in that demo for Dynamite since the debut episode back in Oct. 2019.
Punk addressed his decision to make his way to AEW during Dynamite. He said it was because of the younger talent in the locker room. He said he’s targeting Darby Allin because Darby would’ve been his favorite wrestler if he was 15 years old.
Along the way, CM Punk even dropped quite the hint. The man who formerly called himself the “Voice of the Voiceless,” responded to “Yes!” chants from the crowd. Punk teased, “that’s somebody else’s shtick and you might just need to be a little more patient, ok?” Bryan Danielson has reportedly signed with AEW and is expected to make his debut on the Sept. 22 edition of Dynamite in New York City.
CM Punk will have his first wrestling match since January 2014 on Sept. 5. He’ll take on Darby Allin inside the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The match will be featured on the All Out PPV card.
