By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The Friday, October 16 WWE Friday Night SmackDown finished with an average of 1.327 million viewers for USA Network, according to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics.com. The number was down a tick compared to the previous episode’s 1.352 million average. SmackDown finished with a 0.32 rating in the 18-49 demographic, equal to the prior week’s 0.32 rating.
Powell’s POV: Randy Orton didn’t show up for his meeting with Cody Rhodes, who faced Baron Corbin in an impromptu match that Orton interfered in. One year earlier, the October 17, 2025, SmackDown averaged 1.180 million viewers and a 0.28 rating for USA Network.
(Jason Powell, founder and editor of ProWrestling.net, has covered pro wrestling full-time dating back to 1997. He hosts a weekly podcast, Pro Wrestling Boom, and appears regularly on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Reach him via email at dotnetjason@gmail.com and on social media via @prowrestlingnet.bsky.social or x.com/prowrestlingnet. For his full bio and information on this website, click here.)
