Viewership Way Up for AEW Dynamite’s Tribute to Pac

Wrestling tribute shows to fallen stars are usually rare, but when they happen, they’re unforgettable. If you’re of a certain age, you’ll never forget the episodes of WWE Raw which said goodbye to the likes of Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero. Sadly, AEW has been beset with sadness lately, whether it be a Collision in honor of the late Andy “The Butcher” Williams, or a special dedicated to Rebel, who is battling ALS. Then came the September 30 episode of Dynamite, which was a two-hour-plus tribute to Pac, who passed away on September 27, less than 24 hours after his match with Andrade at All Out. So just how many fans tuned in to say goodbye to Benjamin Satterley?

Nearly 900,000 People Watched the September 30 AEW Dynamite

According to Wrestlenomics, a whopping 899,000 viewers watched the September 30 episode of AEW Dynamite. This was enough to make it the second most watched show of the night on cable for the coveted 18-49 age range demographic. With a 0.22 rating in that demo, ratings were up 38% from last week and 57% from the previous four-week average.

For total viewership, 24% more fans watched this week’s Dynamite than the 723,000 who watched the September 23 episode. This is the best viewership total in almost three years, with the October 18, 2023 episode of Dynamite pulling in an audience of 901,000.

A Tribute to Pac Was a Powerful Episode of Wrestling

176,000 more fans showing up for AEW Dynamite on September 30 than the week before shows just how loved Pac was. Whether you knew him as the Bastard in AEW, or are a more casual fan who remembers him best for his NXT and WWE days as Neville, there were few wrestlers as talented as Ben Satterley.

This week’s episode of Dynamite has received rave reviews for being a perfect tribute to Pac filled with amazing moments. Among them were the eerie post-All Out promo given by Jon Moxley, which ended with Pac walking off camera for the last time. This was followed up by the emotional return of Bryan Danielson, who hugged it out with Mox in the middle of the ring. Will Ospreay hit a fitting Black Arrow on Ricochet to win their match, Marina Shafir got the win in a six-women tag team battle, and to end the show, Danielson came out of retirement to help the Death Riders beat the Don Callis Family. This was followed by an emotional video package set to Manchester Orchestra’s “I Know How to Speak.” As much as it hurts to rate it, this has to be the best wrestler tribute show of them all.

Next week, AEW Dynamite will try to return to some sense of normalcy, with feuds back on and the build up to WrestleDream beginning. Benjamin Satterley, however, will never be forgotten.