The world of professional wrestling witnessed a significant event on June 17th, with the re-entry of CM Punk into the scene as the centrepiece of All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) new show on TNT, AEW Collision’‹’‹.
The anticipation surrounding what Punk would say and do in his first appearance since All Out last Labor Day weekend was palpable, adding to the intrigue of the premiere.
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The Premiere: More Than Just a Show
AEW Collision’s premiere was more than just a wrestling show. It opened with a Punk promo that touched on the events of the past nine months and closed with him pinning Juice Robinson to win a trios match.
The premiere was not just about wrestling, but also a reflection of the dynamic narrative that AEW is known for’‹ and the backstage politics between Punk and The Elite.
Viewership Ratings: A Night of Success
Despite the conventional wisdom that Saturday nights are bad for ratings, AEW Collision seemingly did pretty well considering. The premiere was watched by 816,000 viewers, achieving a .33 rating among 18-49 year-olds, as confirmed by WrestleNomics on Patreon.
This performance placed the show third among cable originals, trailing behind ESPN’s coverage of UFC Fight Night and the College World Series. These numbers are very similar to those of AEW’s Dynamite, indicating that the new show’s launch was a success’‹.
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The Future: Can the Success be Sustained?
The strong start for AEW Collision and Punk sets a high bar for future performances. The question now is whether they can maintain these numbers.
The trajectory of the show’s popularity will largely depend on how it can keep the audience engaged in the coming weeks and beyond’‹.
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