WWE’s Live ‘SmackDown’ Debut Locks Up Show’s Top Rating Since 2010

Superstar draft actually topples prior night’s “Raw”

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WWE

Tuesday’s live “WWE SmackDown” debut scored the series’ best TV rating since December 2010 in the key 18-49 demographic.

It also topped Monday’s “Raw” in all major demos — a rare feat for the little-brother program.

“SmackDown Live” bested the previous evening’s “Raw” by 1 percent in total viewers, and by 5 percent among those 18-49. The two-hour “SmackDown” (8-10 p.m. ET) beat out the three-hour “Raw” (8-11) among 18-34-year-olds by 15 percent.

The “SmackDown Live” premiere — home to the WWE Draft — landed 3.170 million total viewers, with 1.499 million coming from the advertiser-sought 18-49 group. In total viewers, that’s up 53 percent from Thursday’s pre-taped “SmackDown.” In the main demo, it was a huge 112 percent jump. Among those 18-34, last night’s episode soared 164 percent.

Click here to see who ended up on the “SmackDown” roster, and here for “Raw’s” wrestlers.

Socially, “SmackDown Live” ranked as the No. 2 cable program of the night in terms of engagement. That’s up 132 percent from Thursday.

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