Ray's UK Rating's Report: Week Ending July 31st 2011

Courtesy of the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board (BARB) here are the UK TV ratings for wrestling programming that ranked in the top 10's for their respective channels on the week ending July 31st 2011:

1	TNA PRESENTS IMPACT WRESTLING (Tue, Challenge , 2202)	234,000
2	WWE LATE NIGHT RAW – LIVE (Mon, Sky Sport 3, 2600)	156,000
3	WWE LATE NIGHT SMACKDOWN (Fri, Sky Sports 2, 2201)	128,000
4	TNA PRESENTS IMPACT WRESTLING (Sat, Challenge, 2100)	122,000
5	TNA XPLOSION (Wed, Challenge, 2200)	Under 122,000
6	WWE BOTTOM LINE (Sat, Sky Sports 3, 1200)	53,000
7	WWE SUPERSTARS (Sat, Sky Sports 4, 2200)	15,000

Despite being down from it's all time high viewership record last week (282,000 viewers), it's IMPACT Wrestling on Challenge that remains the most watched wrestling show in the UK and Ireland. The show garnered 234,000 viewers for the Tuesday July 26th episode headlined by a Sting & Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson & Bully Ray Tag-Team bout.

WWE RAW drew 156,000 viewers for it's Monday July 25th episode which featured a John Cena vs. Rey Mysterio Main Event and the highly anticipated return of CM Punk. There were no figures released last week for the Sky Sports channels so I am unable to determine whether or not this was a rise in viewership but the number does seem larger than RAW's usual numbers so I would suspect this was a rise in viewers this week, sparked largely by the interest of CM Punk's impending return and Triple H's first complete RAW as COO.

Both IMPACT Wrestling and RAW remain the most watched shows on their respective channels.

WWE's other flagship show, Smackdown, garnered 128,000 viewers for it's Friday July 29th edition which was headlined by a Randy Orton vs. R-Truth Main Event.

Here's how the total's look for the year to date since IMPACT's return to UK Television on Challenge:

Weekly Ratings Wins so far (2011)*:
IMPACT Wrestling – 21
WWE RAW – 2
WWE Smackdown – 2

*Based on first showing viewing figures, not inclusive of +1 or replay figures.