WWE NXT defeated AEW Dynamite head-to-head yet again, continuing a head-to-head streak that dates back to October 2023.
WWE NXT drew 619,000 viewers (0.17 in the 18-49 demo) for its special ECW-themed broadcast from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Penn. AEW Dynamite, main evented by a tag team match featuring Ricochet and Will Hobbs' surprise return, garnered 523,000 viewers and 0.16 in 18-49.
NXT had defeated AEW in its previous three head-to-head battles, which happened in October of this year and last year. Its latest win extends that streak to three. In NXT and AEW's previous head-to-head broadcast, AEW drew a scary low 329,000 viewers for "Title Tuesday" against 874,000 viewers for WWE NXT.
NXT relied heavily on ECW nostalgia for its specialty show, with appearances from ECW originals Rhyno, RVD, The Dudley Boyz, FBI and Dawn Marie. Van Dam interacted with Kelani Jordan, who noted RVD was her favorite wrestler growing up. The 53-year-old Hall of Famer later got physical with Wes Lee as he gave the rub to up-and-comer Je'Von Evans. Stars of the past giving the rub to NXT stars was a theme on this night. A surprising Ridge Holland pinfall on Ridge Holland led to a Dudley Boyz reunion; Trick, Bubba and D-Von Dudley then put Ethan Page through a table.
AEW Dynamite had some nostalgia of its own, albeit unintentionally. The show opened with The Hurt Syndicate (formerly known as The Hurt Business). MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin carried more aura into an AEW building than any star since CM Punk. The trio of former WWE stars were seen as bigger stars than most AEW talent, and fans chanted for MVP before he even spoke a word. The Hurt Syndicate looks to recruit select Black talent (including Max Caster and, most recently, Ricochet). MVP has been giving his business card to talent of late, like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Blacktory. Cain and all.
Dynamite also featured a no contest as Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin went to a stalemate against Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli. Will Hobbs and Ricochet prevailed in Hobbs' TV return as the duo defeated Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher. With The Hurt Business recruiting Black talent, it's fair to wonder whether both Ricochet and Hobbs will wind up with the former WWE stable.
In their latest head-to-head duel, it was NXT that faced the disadvantaged on an unfamiliar night. News negatively affects AEW viewers more than NXT viewers, so the election coverage posed more of a threat to AEW's audience. But with the election wrapped up late into Tuesday night and well before Dynamite, news coverage of who would be the next president wasn't nearly as much of a threat as it could have been.
AEW continues to try to rebuild its audience, both live and on television, amid a new television deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. AEW Rampage, which is expected to be canceled by 2025, recently drew its lowest viewership ever. NXT on the CW has been a success thus far. With a bigger audience on network television, NXT has been more competitive with AEW on a weekly basis, head-to-head or not.