via Imago
August 6, 2021, Tampa, Florida, USA: Fans cheer as Actor and wrestler John Cena returns to the ring during the WWE Smackdown at AMALIE Arena on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Tampa. Tampa USA – ZUMAs70_ 0128926003st Copyright: xLuisxSantanax
via Imago
August 6, 2021, Tampa, Florida, USA: Fans cheer as Actor and wrestler John Cena returns to the ring during the WWE Smackdown at AMALIE Arena on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Tampa. Tampa USA – ZUMAs70_ 0128926003st Copyright: xLuisxSantanax
SmackDown’s season premiere on Friday, October 13th, 2023, was a huge success. There was a ton to unpack with John Cena opening the show, Roman Reigns returning, and LA Kight being picked for a match at Crown Jewel 2023. However, the follow-up episode was even more impressive and broke a record
The blue brand was able to set a high note and showcased that its status as the ‘B-show’ might be a thing of the past.
WWE SmackDown episode records the highest attendance for 2023
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The season premiere of SmackDown took place to a packed audience at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Excited for what the new season brought, the arena was buzzing. However, the second episode of SmackDown’s new season had a higher number of fans in attendance. The number of fans broke a record.
The second episode of SmackDown packed a superman-sized punch with Knight going up against Paul Heyman in a verbal onslaught. Cena acknowledged his streak of not winning a solo televised match for nearly five years and Charlotte Flair took on Iyo Sky for the Women’s Championship. There was a lot to unpack.
However, the second episode was a massive hit, bigger than the first one. According to reports, the event saw over 14,000 in attendance. This set a record high for 2023, setting SmackDown off to a great start.
Last nights episode of #SmackDown in San Antonio, TX had the highest U.S attendance for the product in 2023 with a legit sell-out of over 14,000+ in attendance. pic.twitter.com/0dAHlWMcsU
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) October 21, 2023
This was the second episode of SmackDown before the PLE Crown Jewel 2023. With the success of this episode, there are high hopes that the next episode will continue the trend. The audience in attendance shows the excitement people have for SmackDown.
The big SmackDown storylines leading to Crown Jewel 2023
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LA Knight will face off against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship. There are also chances that John Cena will have a match to break his long line of losses on televised programs. Iyo Sky will not be appearing at Crown Jewel as she will be defending her title in New York against Flair.
Logan Paul will face Rey Mysterio at the PLE for the United States Championship. Fans can expect a lot more action in the next two episodes on SmackDown ahead of Crown Jewel as WWE will look to capitalize on a solid start to the new season.
READ MORE: Triple H’s Big SmackDown Premiere Announcement Benefits WWE’s Old Rival Company
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What do you think about the record-breaking audience? Will SmackDown keep the momentum going? Tell us down below.
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