LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 11: WWE champion Brock Lesnar (L) and former UFC heavyweight champion ... [+]
There is a lot going on with WWE these days. The promotion is at war with All-Elite Wrestling for ratings and general social media awareness.
WWE is also launching its annual video game with 2K on October 22, and the second episode of SmackDown on Fox just aired on Friday night.
Needless to say, WWE is a major part of the entertainment world’s conversation, and as usual, a piece of success is attached to viral media on social media. WWE is no stranger to trending on a variety of platforms. This past week was no exception.
WWE has used its connection to crossover stars in a major way recently. As we take a look at the most viral videos since October 3, it’s clear former UFC Heavyweight Champions Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar, all-time great The Rock and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury have moved the needle for the brand. ListenFirst, a social media analytics firm provided the data and the following breakdown analysis from Chief Marketing Officer, Tracy David:
"The WWE bringing in The Rock and Cain Velasquez for special appearances on the inaugural episode of SmackDown on Fox didn't just juice broadcast ratings, it also impacted the brand on social. Largely around clips featuring those cameos, video views on social media for WWE increased by 527% during October 3-9, 2019 compared to the previous week.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 11: WWE wrestler Braun Strowman (L) and heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury ... [+]
Let’s count it down.
Braun Strowman stares down Tyson Fury: SmackDown, Oct. 4, 2019 - 2.5 Million - YouTube
This was essentially the beginning of the feud WWE and Top Rank Boxing constructed between Fury and Strowman. Things would get a little more physical on Raw, which ranked a bit higher on the list.
The Rock and Becky Lynch humble King Corbin: SmackDown, Oct. 4, 2019 - 3.4 Million
WWE booked a can’t-miss segment to open Smackdown on Fox. Becky Lynch is the promotion’s hottest star, Corbin is perhaps the most natural heel, and The Rock is right there with Stone Cold Steve Austin as one of the legends least likely to be booed by the WWE Universe.
The Rock is also still masterful on the mic, so when this one started, it was clear there would be positive reaction to it.
Braun Strowman and boxing champion Tyson Fury in huge brawl: Raw, Oct. 7, 2019 - 4.6 M
If anyone in the boxing world had a question about Fury’s crossover star power, let’s put those to rest. Yes, there is always interest whenever an athlete of any kind starts to mix it up with WWE talent. However, the numbers generated behind Fury’s appearances prove his reach.
This segment got pretty physical, but it seems clear, the match at Crown Jewel between the two behemoths will be booked pretty safely.
WWE SmackDown: Cain Velasquez surprises Brock Lesnar - 5.3 M
The arrival of Velasquez was the punctuation to the debut episode of Smackdown. WWE clearly scrambled to get a deal with Velasquez done, and the match with Lesnar is a natural one because of their history in the UFC. The massive numbers the video did on Facebook proved to be a huge success for the brand on FOX.
Cain Velasquez brings the fight to Brock Lesnar: SmackDown, Oct. 4, 2019 - 9.2 M
WWE is great at multi-purposing content. This video is essentially the YouTube version of the Facebook clip. The video is closing in on 10 million views on YT, and over five million on Facebook.
The cumulative impressions for the Velasquez-Lesnar angle proves it was a smart move for WWE.
On The Rise
Friday night’s episode of Smackdown and a special Crown Jewel press conference delivered its own share of viral moments. While the videos haven’t been in circulation long enough yet to usurp the five mentioned above, expect to see them among the most viewed in next week’s countdown.
You might have guessed, it’s more Velasquez-Lesnar.
Brock Lesnar Comes Face-to-Face With Cain Velasquez: WWE Announcement, Oct. 11, 2019 - 1.6 M
Without question, WWE views its shows in Saudi Arabia nearly on the same level as its biggest pay-per-views. Lesnar-Velasquez is a WrestleMania-level attraction, and we’ll see it happen first at Crown Jewel. The face-off between the two men was awkward as Velasquez seemed to struggle mightily with his mic work, but it still generated tons of interest in less than 24 hours.
Cain Velasquez Stares Down Brock Lesnar: Smackdown, Oct. 11, 2019 - 1.8 M
The second in-program meeting between Velasquez and Lesnar happened on Friday night. Velasquez spoke in Spanish, which helped make the segment a little smoother, and it added some flair to the rivalry.
