WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event hits low ratings

Goldberg’s retirement match drew fewer viewers than previous WWE specials.

WWE ratings drop for Goldberg’s final match

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event featuring Goldberg’s retirement match attracted 1.425 million viewers on NBC this past weekend. This figure marks a 27 percent decline from the last special in May, which was the lowest for all four aired shows since the series resumed in December 2024. The May event featured big names like John Cena and CM Punk, while this match held in Atlanta, Goldberg's hometown, saw him lose to Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship. The episode received a 0.33 rating in the 18-49 demographic, down 39 percent from May, yet it was the top-rated show in that demographic on Saturday night. Viewership numbers do not include data from the Peacock streaming service.

Goldberg's match, marketed as a retirement bout, highlights a growing challenge for WWE in maintaining viewership tales after recent highs. With prominent competitors like AEW producing their pay-per-view events simultaneously, WWE may struggle to draw audiences without marquee names on the card. This decrease in ratings could signal a need for WWE to rethink how they schedule events and promote their big stars to keep fans engaged.

Highlights

WWE faces critical choices ahead in keeping its audience engaged.