AEW Collision receives a spike for Bryan Danielson's return match

Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2023/12/05/aew-collision-receives-a-spike-for-bryan-danielsons-return-match/

The lack of WWE competition and Bryan Danielson’s first match of the Continental Classic led to AEW Collision’s boost in viewership this past weekend.

The December 2 episode from Erie, Pennsylvania, averaged 453,000 viewers and 190,000 (0.14) in the 18-49 demographic – its best figures since October. (Data: Wrestlenomics)

Overall viewership was up by 43% this week and its largest number since October 28, which featured MJF vs. Kenny Omega. It was Collision’s largest 18-49 audience since October 21 featuring Danielson vs. Andrade El Idolo.

The show was aided by a lack of a WWE premium live event to contend with college football being the primary competition on Saturday.

In the 18-49 demo, males shot up 73% this week to 137,000 and females increased by 26% to 53,000.

Adults 18-34 were up significantly growing from 30,000 to 65,000 this week with both males and females more than doubling last week’s figures.

Adults 35-49 grew by 37% to 125,000 but was completely reflective of a big male increase as women in the demo dropped from 29,000 to 24,000 this week.

The show was headlined by Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston in the Continental Classic in Danielson’s first match since October 25 after nursing a broken orbital bone.

Wrestlenomics reports that the peak quarter was from 8:15 – 8:30 p.m. ET for the ending of Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brody King, a backstage promo with Jon Moxley, and Kiera Hogan vs. Abadon that averaged 492,000 viewers and 203,000 in the 18-49 demo. The final quarter featuring the ending of Danielson vs. Kingston picked up 14% in viewers and 16% in the demo from the previous quarter representing the largest quarter-to-quarter growth on the show.

This week’s episode of Collision is a taped show from Montreal and will air head-to-head against NXT Deadline.

Better do what he says, he’s got a committee or something. I love Bryan Danielson. He’s the only person in wrestling who I believe is actually being himself when he’s “out of character”.