Strong segment featuring Bliss and Orton-Cena promo lifts show
Summary
– SmackDown drew 1.455 million viewers on May 9, up 3.5% from the previous week
– Key 18–49 demo rose to 0.41, a 10.8% increase
– Alexa Bliss returned after two months in a key tag match
WWE SmackDown saw a significant ratings bump on May 9, 2025, as the return of Alexa Bliss and final hype for Backlash delivered a compelling episode. The show aired live on USA Network and attracted 1.455 million viewers, a 3.5% increase from the 1.406 million recorded on May 2. More notably, the 18–49 demographic rating jumped from 0.37 to 0.41 — a 10.8% spike.
Bliss made her surprise return after two months away, teaming with Zelina Vega to defeat Chelsea Green and Piper Niven in tag team action. The segment stood out from the night and contributed to a stronger overall narrative heading into the Backlash Premium Live Event.
John Cena also fired off one of the most talked-about promos of the night, calling out Randy Orton’s past 2006 drug test failure. The personal jab fueled their anticipated clash at Backlash and created major social media buzz.
Here’s how SmackDown performed week over week:
Viewership Breakdown
– Total Viewers: May 9 – 1.455 million | May 2 – 1.406 million | +3.5%
– 18–49 Demo: May 9 – 0.41 | May 2 – 0.37 | +10.8%
– 25–54 Demo: 0.53 (no change from last week)
With backlash in the rearview and SmackDown’s continuing momentum, WWE is well-positioned for a strong summer season.
