The January 15 edition of AEW Dynamite certainly delivered a high-energy episode, with several key moments and matchups that added to the excitement. Fans saw Kenny Omega make his in-ring return against Brian Cage, Samoa Joe make his first appearance in six months, and Megan Bayne debut in the inaugural women’s Casino Gauntlet match, which Toni Storm won. The episode was topped off by Jon Moxley successfully defending the AEW World Championship against Powerhouse Hobbs, making it a loaded episode in AEW’s recent memory.
In terms of viewership, the episode performed exceptionally well. According to Wrestlenomics (verified with Nielsen data), the show averaged 679,000 viewers on TBS. This is a 10 percent increase from the 610,000 viewers the previous week and a 13 percent boost from the trailing four-week average of 600,000 viewers. It’s also the highest viewership the show has achieved since the fifth-anniversary edition on October 2, 2024.
The episode saw a 6 percent increase in the all-important 18-49 demographic, going from a 0.17 rating on January 8 to 0.18, which matches the four-week average. Notably, Dynamite’s 0.18 rating in this demo placed it ahead of most cable programming that night, only trailing the NBA on ESPN and President Joe Biden’s farewell coverage on FOX News.
This viewership spike indicates that AEW’s recent booking, including star returns and high-profile matches, is resonating well with both existing fans and new viewers, positioning the show for continued success in a competitive television landscape.