The debut of 'WWE Raw' on Netflix provided a glimpse into the future for both the pro wrestling giant and the streamer. Screen grab: WWE
NetflixWWEBy Ben Axelrod on

On the surface, WWE Raw‘s debut episode on Netflix had everything a pro wrestling fan could have wanted.

A WrestleMania-caliber card. Multiple cameos from industry legends. Championship changes and major storyline developments.

Oh, and of course, The Rock.

And yet despite WWE clearly making a sizable effort to deliver on one of the most highly anticipated episodes of Raw in its 32-year history, most pro wrestling fans I know — the kind who subscribe to Dave Meltzer’s newsletter and spend thousands of dollars each year to attend WrestleMania — hated the show.

The matches were too long and slowly paced. The storyline development was predictable, if not underwhelming. And most notably, The Rock inexplicably spent his entire appearance on the program out of character, effectively taking a blowtorch to whatever was left from his blockbuster rivalry with Cody Rhodes and a year’s worth of storyline development.

Sure, this might have been a WrestleMania-caliber show. But it was closer to WrestleMania 32-36 (if you know, you know) than it was the critically acclaimed “Showcase of the Immortals” that WWE has delivered on post-COVID.

And yet, despite marks like myself and my pro wrestling-based group chat feeling let down by WWE’s Netflix debut, the reality of the situation is that this show was never about us. Rather, it was about ushering in WWE’s new era — “the Netflix era,” as COO Paul “Triple H” Levesque dubbed it in the show’s opening segment.

And the ensuing episode proved plenty informative regarding the future of both companies.

For WWE, Raw‘s first episode on its new home didn’t just mark the official start of its relationship with Netflix, but the unofficial TKO-ization of the pro wrestling giant. While the presence of WWE’s parent company has been felt in various forms dating back to its 2023 merger with UFC to form it, this felt like the first episode in which it was abundantly clear this isn’t your grandfather’s pro wrestling promotion.

Sure, there were the aesthetic changes — new referee shirts, a Travis Scott theme song and updated entrance ramp — that often accompany a new season of Raw, which were only aided by the tech-friendly Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. But there were also notable shifts in the product’s tone, perhaps best exemplified by the cold open video package that highlighted WWE’s history, breaking the fourth wall with previously forbidden terms like “face,” “heel,” “work” and “shoot.”

“We’re not hiding what we do,” Levesque said in a post-show press conference — another relatively recent addition to WWE’s presentation, at least for big shows. “That’s what we do. And to be honest, I think most of the world understands those terms. They’ve sort of transcended our business… it’s what it is. People know what we are.”

In layman’s terms, WWE is done pretending it’s anything but predetermined.

To be certain, this is largely a welcome addition for most of the fanbase, even if it’s going to create annoyances like The Rock randomly acknowledging that he doesn’t actually hate a supposed rival. Like any change, there are pros and cons to this approach and it’s a credit to WWE that feuds like CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins or CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (and maybe just CM Punk vs. anyone) can still feel real enough to keep even the most hardened fans invested, even while the company routinely acknowledges this is all just make believe.

Less reliance on kayfabe leaves more room for authenticity, even in an industry built on deception. Factor in WWE president Nick Khan’s influence from the sports world, including the hirings of production head Lee Fitting and announcers like Joe Tessitore and Pat McAfee and Raw‘s Netflix debut felt closer to a UFC show, right down to the ring mat full advertisements.

Will WWE’s reality-based approach pay off? At this point, it’s obviously too early to tell. But while it was just one episode — and one that WWE clearly put all of its resources behind — you’d be hard pressed to argue that it didn’t succeed in making Monday’s episode of Raw feel like a happening more than just a weekly pro wrestling show.

A big part of that might merely have been the platform.

Following the disastrous presentation of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing event, Netflix bounced back with a successful NFL doubleheader on Christmas Day. Now it lays claim to what had been one of television’s most-watched weekly programs in Raw, which has been a staple of cable programming for three decades.

As CNN chief media analyst Brian Stetler noted on X, Netflix — and other streamers — are just getting started, which by this point, is hardly a revelation. Still, Raw’s migration from linear television to a streaming service is notable, especially considering the particular streaming service involved.

If the glitch-free Christmas Day doubleheader announced Netflix as the future of live sports, then Monday night — which was also absent of any significant technical difficulties — only further reinforced that notion. And considering its sizable reach (283 million paid subscribers in more than 190 countries), it’s clear that entities like the NFL and WWE don’t just view Netflix as a platform to air their products, but an opportunity to grow them.

Just like the NFL gave Netflix two of its biggest games of the season and A-level talent that it somehow plucked from its other broadcast partners, it wasn’t a coincidence that WWE provided a WrestleMania-caliber show for its debut episode. Sure, you always want to make a good impression. But after years of its two weekly shows, Raw and SmackDown, effectively being on equal footing, there’s no longer any question about what WWE’s flagship show is.

At this point, the gameplans for both companies aren’t just clear, but also intertwined. WWE fully is embracing the live and sports-like aspects of its programming, which makes it a perfect fit for Netflix as it continues to establish its presence with live programming.

Whether WWE can maintain the pace it set for itself on Monday and what else Netflix will be able to add to its portfolio with most live rights already spoken for will certainly be worth monitoring. But Monday’s episode showed why the two make for a perfect match — regardless of what marks like myself thought about the show.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod