The September 30, 2025, episode of WWE NXT featured one of the most talked-about moments of the year with the return of Mustafa Ali, who made a surprising comeback challenging for the North American Title. Yet, despite the loaded card packed with dramatic segments and high-profile matches, the show saw a significant drop in viewership, drawing only 572,000 viewers on The CW Network—a decline from the previous week’s 617,000 viewers[1][3].
Mustapha Ali’s Return and Key Matches Fail to Halt Decline
Mustafa Ali’s return was meant to reignite fan enthusiasm and boost ratings but, paradoxically, it coincided with a notable dip in audience numbers for NXT. Ali emerged with a bang, immediately targeting the North American Champion, injecting fresh narrative energy into the show. Alongside Ali’s comeback, other highlights included a heated invasion angle involving TNA, the announcement of Team NXT and Team TNA captains for the upcoming Showdown Summit, and a preview of the Hardy Boyz’s return for a Winner Takes All match[1].
Despite these promising storylines, the Nielsen ratings reported a 0.10 demo rating in the coveted 18-49 age group, down from 0.12 the previous week, indicating less engagement among the key demographic advertisers covet[1][3].
Competition and Changing Viewing Habits Weigh on Ratings
The drop in viewership is partially attributable to stiff competition from major live events on cable and broadcast networks. On the same night, the MLB Wild Card game featuring the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox commanded a massive 6.5 million viewers and a 1.51 demo rating on ESPN, overshadowing WWE’s NXT on The CW[1].
Additionally, other popular programming such as “The Voice,” “Dancing With The Stars,” and the WNBA Playoffs further fragmented the audience, making it harder for NXT to capture a larger share of the 18-49 audience[2].
Backstage Insights: Viewership Decline Expected Amidst Broader Challenges
According to a WWE insider familiar with performance evaluations at the Performance Center, the recent viewership dip is “frustrating but not surprising.” They explained:
“WWE NXT continues to face challenges retaining viewers consistently on linear TV, especially with sports and reality programming dominating Tuesday nights. We’re pushing hard creatively—with moments like Mustafa Ali’s return and the TNA invasion—to keep the brand compelling. But the overall media landscape is shifting, and the NXT creative team is aware that digital engagement and social media traction are becoming ever more critical.”
This insider also highlighted that while TV ratings have slipped this month, the brand’s social media and YouTube content have shown spikes in views, with clips like the TNA invasion approaching nearly a million views, indicating that fans are consuming NXT content in alternative ways[2].
Historical Viewership Trends and the Impact of New Nielsen Methodology
The September 30 episode’s viewership lowlight is part of a broader trend for WWE’s developmental brand. Compared to last year, NXT’s average demo rating in 2025 has declined by approximately 26%, and viewership, while up slightly year-over-year, remains under pressure in key demos[2][4]. The change is compounded by Nielsen’s updated Big Data + Panel methodology, which analysts say complicates direct comparisons with past ratings but still reflects an erosion of live TV audiences across wrestling programs and cable shows alike[6][7].
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics noted:
“As entertainment options expand, traditional TV metrics for WWE programs including NXT reflect the evolving nature of viewership. Audience fragmentation is hitting the ratings, but the broader WWE ecosystem’s health depends on how effectively it integrates TV, streaming, and social media engagement.”
What This Means for NXT Moving Forward
The September 30 episode’s ratings results may raise internal questions about how NXT can better convert compelling TV content into solid ratings growth. The creative team’s recent emphasis on surprise returns, cross-brand invasions, and nostalgic appeals (like the Hardy Boyz’ announced return) reveal a strategy to capture fleeting attention in a crowded media arena.
Experts also point to the necessity for WWE to continue evolving NXT’s digital presence to complement broadcast TV. Shows like NXT have increasingly become hybrids of traditional wrestling programming and highly shareable content designed for YouTube and social media platforms, where fan engagement can translate indirectly to renewed interest and eventually broader viewership[2].
Fan Response and Social Media Buzz
Despite the numbers, the show’s standout moments—including Mustafa Ali’s aggressive challenge and the dramatic TNA presence—generated significant online conversation. Clips of Ali’s return and the TNA segments received hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube within days, suggesting a strong core of engaged fans who are increasingly consuming highlights and promos online rather than viewing the full live broadcast[1][2].
Final Thoughts
While WWE NXT’s September 30 episode delivered exciting content and historic moments, it simultaneously exposed the continuing challenge of sustaining traditional TV viewership in the evolving entertainment landscape. Mustafa Ali’s return, though a major wrestling event, was not enough by itself to stop the ratings decline on The CW.
According to insiders, WWE is actively reviewing strategies for NXT’s future to strike a better balance between live TV ratings and digital engagement, aiming to rebuild momentum toward larger audiences in an era defined by changing viewer habits.
The coming weeks, including the fallout from NXT’s “No Mercy” event, will be pivotal in assessing whether the brand can reverse this recent downward trend or if further innovation is needed to keep NXT thriving in 2025 and beyond.