AEW Dynamite’s viewership for its May 21, 2025 episode saw a decrease, drawing an average of 575,000 viewers on TBS. The program also garnered a 0.15 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. These numbers reflect a night of intense sports competition that included high-stakes NBA and NHL playoff games.
The episode faced formidable opponents for viewership. An NBA playoff game between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks dominated the night on cable, ranking #1 with 5.726 million viewers and a powerful 1.89 rating in the 18-49 demographic on TNT. Additionally, an NHL playoff matchup featuring the Edmonton Oilers versus the Dallas Stars on ESPN was #2 for the night, attracting 1.460 million viewers and a 0.45 rating in the key demo. Dynamite ultimately ranked #6 for the night on cable among programs in the 18-49 demographic.
Compared to the previous week’s episode on May 14 (which drew 682,000 viewers and a 0.17 demo rating), last night’s Dynamite experienced a 16% drop in total viewers and a 12% decrease in the 18-49 demographic. The show was also down 7% in total viewership and 6% in the demo compared to its trailing four-week average.
The May 21st episode of Dynamite, broadcast from the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, was the go-home show for the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view. Key segments included a face-to-face confrontation between Owen Hart Cup Tournament men’s finalists Will Ospreay and “Hangman” Adam Page, and a similar segment between women’s finalists Mercedes Moné and Jamie Hayter.
The main event featured an All-Star Trios match where Swerve Strickland, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Samoa Joe defeated Jon Moxley and The Young Bucks. The show also included MJF officially signing his contract to join The Hurt Syndicate, Ricochet defeating Anthony Bowens, and Mina Shirakawa getting a win over Julia Hart, with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm on commentary. The episode concluded with a massive brawl involving participants in the upcoming Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing.
Despite the challenging sports landscape, the viewership numbers indicate a core audience tuned in for the final build to one of AEW’s signature pay-per-view events. The impact of the heavy sports competition is evident, but the program maintained a top 10 ranking on cable for the night in its key demographic.
