Most watched wrestling match/segment by year

[Jindrak Mark]

1984 - Jul 23 The Brawl to End It All - Moolah v Richter

1985 - Feb 18 The War to Settle the Score - Hogan/Piper world title match

1986 - Jan 4 Saturday Night’s Main Event - Hogan/Funk world title match

1987 - Mar 14 Saturday Night’s Main Event - Battle royal

1988 - Feb 5 The Main Event - Hogan/Andre world title match

1989 - Feb 3 The Main Event - Mega Powers v Twin Towers

1990 - Feb 23 The Main Event - Hogan/Savage world title match

1991 - Apr 27 Saturday Night’s Main Event - Warrior v Slaughter

1992 - Feb 8 Saturday Night’s Main Event - Hogan & Sid v Flair & Taker

1993 - Feb 22 Raw - Hogan returns

1994 - Aug 24 Clash of the Champions - Hogan/Flair world title match

1995 - Dec 18 Nitro - Savage/Giant world title match

1996 - Apr 8 Raw - Warrior/Goldust segment

1997 - Aug 25 Nitro - Savage v Luger

1998 - Aug 31 Nitro - Hogan/Warrior promo

1999 - Jun 28 Raw - Austin/Taker world title match

2000 - Jul 31 Raw - Rock & Lita v HHH & Trish

2001 - Jul 30 Raw - Rock returns

2002 - Mar 25 Raw - HHH/Jericho/Stephanie world title match

2003 - Mar 3 Raw - Rock/Austin segment

2004 - Mar 22 Raw - Eddie/HHH world title match

2005 - Oct 3 Raw - Cena/Bischoff world title match

2006 - Jan 30 Raw - Cena/Edge world title match

2007 - Apr 2 Raw - Cena/HBK promo

2008 - Feb 18 Raw - Cena v Orton

2009 - Jun 22 Raw - Orton/HHH last man standing match

2010 - Mar 29 Raw - HBK retirement promo

2011 - Mar 28 Raw - Rock/Cena promo

2012 - Jul 23 Raw - Cena/Punk world title match

2013 - Jan 28 Raw - Brock F5’s Vince

2014 - Apr 7 Raw - Bryan/HHH world title match

2015 - Mar 30 Raw - Rollins/Brock world title match

2016 - Apr 4 Raw - Vince/Shane segment

2017 - Apr 3 Raw - Roman promo

2018 - Jan 22 Raw - Austin/McMahons segment

2019 - Oct 4 Smackdown - Rock/Becky/Corbin segment

2020 - Dec 25 Smackdown - Roman/KO cage match

2021 - Sep 10 Smackdown - Roman/Brock segment

2022 - Dec 30 Smackdown - Roman & Sami v Cena & KO

2023 - Jul 7 Smackdown - Roman/Usos Tribal Court

2024 - Apr 8 Raw - Cody/Rock promo

It’s interesting that during the attitude era the summer was the peak time for ratings then it settled into being Raw during Wrestlemania season a lot of the time. Although 2019-23 it was all second half of the year Smackdown happenings that took top spot. That may end up being the case this year too if Roman returns over the summer and he manages to top that Cody/Rock number which was around 3 million viewers.

A few things I was shocked weren’t number 1 for their years. I’d have expected something Austin or Goldberg related in 98 but there was a random unopposed Nitro in August that did a huge number. An unopposed Raw in 96 with Warrior’s return also managed to beat out anything NWO related that year.

The Edge/Lita live sex celebration in 06 I expected to be top that year. It came close but they beat it a few times in the following weeks. And 05 I figured would’ve been either the segment with Batista turning on HHH or Cena being drafted to Raw. I forgot the Raw homecoming show later in the year had so much hype.

[theghostofalwilson]

May 8, 2024 11:21:32 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

1990 - Feb 23 The Main Event - Hogan/Savage world title match

This match had newly crowned boxing world heavyweight champ James Buster Douglas (who had just beaten Mike Tyson) as special referee which likely helped. As if Hogan/Savage wasn't big enough on its own.

[Rudy Gobert Fadeaway]

2018 - Jan 22 Raw - Austin/McMahons segment

This is the f***ing trenches 

[Totorob101]

The brawl to end it all is not surprising, Wendi Richter doesnt get the love she deserves for being as popular as she was and as good as she was in the ring. She was right up there with hogan at his peak in terms of popularity and its a shame she got screwed over by moolah like she did as she could have went on for many years being a big draw for the company.

[willywonka666]

I thought The Rock's This is your Life" segment was one of the highest rated segments of all time was it not?

[Stu]

Please include the source of this list

[cosmo]

May 8, 2024 12:57:31 GMT -5 Stu said:

Please include the source of this list

Source: "Trust me, bro."

[drougfree]

2005 - Oct 3 Raw - Cena/Bischoff world title match 

lmao

[Bang Bang Bart]

May 8, 2024 13:01:05 GMT -5 drougfree said:

2005 - Oct 3 Raw - Cena/Bischoff world title match 

lmao

For context, this was the "Raw Homecoming" episode which had Raw back on USA Network for the first time since 2000, which explains why this was the most watched segment in 2005.

[The Gallus Mark]

1996 is the funniest one, Warrior/Goldust promo lol

[Jumpin' Jesse Walsh]

2019 is so funny completely removed from any context. It looks like they drew names out of a hat and threw them into one segment.

[XIII]

May 8, 2024 12:23:08 GMT -5 Rudy Gobert Fadeaway said:

2018 - Jan 22 Raw - Austin/McMahons segment

This is the f***ing trenches 

Out of the Mud 2: BACK INTO THE MUD

[thegame415]

Very surprised 1998 is not either Austin vs McMahon a few weeks after WM or Goldberg vs Hogan. However, that 8/31 show would make sense because Raw was not on that night (dog show). Same thing with 1997.

May 8, 2024 12:53:49 GMT -5 willywonka666 said:

I thought The Rock's This is your Life" segment was one of the highest rated segments of all time was it not?

I get confused on this, too. I think Austin vs Undertaker is actually and overrun segment, which counts different from other segments.