Out with the old and in with the new as WWE made its ‘mixed’ debut on Netflix
If you smell what WWE on Netflix has cooking, I bet it’d taste out of this world – even if not completely perfect.
Monday Night RAW made its long-awaited debut on the streaming platform on Monday (January 6). Triple H and WWE execs pulled out all the stops to make it a night to remember, and it’s safe to say they did just that.
They put together a WrestleMania-level card, which included Roman Reigns vs Solo Sikoa, Liv Morgan vs Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Heavyweight Championship, and CM Punk vs Seth ‘Freaking’ Rollins. Famous faces filled out the ringside seats, production was totally revamped, and it had that big night feel throughout.
A year has passed since Netflix announced the ground-breaking partnership with the WWE worth ‘in excess of $5 billion’. A lot of speculation has flooded the airwaves since then, and understandably expectations were skyhigh.
But did WWE’s Netflix debut deliver? Let’s take a look…
Look at all that production!
The first thing I noticed right from the off when RAW got underway was just how different everything not only looked but felt. WWE programming has always had cutting-edge production, but this felt next level.
Helped out enormously by the sold-out Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, which was a record arena gate for the company with over 17,000 fans in attendance, they had fans everywhere. Boy did the production team do a good job reminding us.
Whether it was the jaw-dropping drone shots flying here, there and everywhere around the building, the incredible use of lighting, a new RAW logo and theme music, as well as brand new graphics – a new era arrived at the WWE.
Too many famous faces
Something I learnt during RAW is that there is such thing as too many cuts to celebrities. Home Alone star Macauley Culkin – who received a huge pop from the crowd by the way – High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens, and Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd, were among the A-list names featured in the programming.
Yes it definitely added to that ‘big night feel’ but I am a professional wrestling fan first and foremost. WWE and Monday Night Raw is professional wrestling programming, or sports entertainment if you want to be specific.
It made the whole night feel like more of a corporate launch event, with the wrestling a distant priority.
The last time is now
John Cena’s time is up and his last time is now. Monday Night RAW’s debut on Netflix marked the start of the 16-time World Champion’s farewell tour after he announced his in-ring retirement at Money in the Bank last July.
From now until this December, the wrestler-turned-movie star will wrestle anywhere between 30 to 40 matches before hanging up his signature jorts one last time. This includes his final ever WrestleMania in Las Vegas this April, with his rumoured opponent ranging from Randy Orton and Gunther to Logan Paul and Cody Rhodes.
Cena set the tone of his final year with a heartfelt promo live in Los Angeles. He discussed whether or not he should focus on winning a record 17th World Championship, his anxiety at taking away opportunities from the star-studded full-time talent, and announcing his participation in this year’s – and his final – Royal Rumble.
He ended with his iconic phrase: “If you want some, come get some.”
The Rock’s ‘dud’ return
When reports of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s return at RAW on Netflix first emerged, fans were buzzing with excitement at what could potentially happen. Following his mysterious appearance at WWE Bad Blood last October, they wondered where The Final Boss’ loyalties lie, whether they be with Roman Reigns or with Solo Sikoa and the New Bloodline.
So many theories emerged. He could come out and align himself with the OTC, or as many probably hoped, The Rock would turn on Reigns and set up a dream match at The Showcase of the Immortals in a few months time.
No one thought it would go down like a damp squib. And it did, sadly.
As soon as he made his iconic entrance on RAW and delivered a promo to the crowd, it was evident that maybe, just maybe, The Rock may not wrestle again – at least this year anyway. His momentous run in the lead-up to last year’s WrestleMania saw the Hollywood star adopt his heel Final Boss persona – no-nonsense, brutal, savage and intentionally violent.
We saw none of this on Monday Night RAW on Netflix. Nothing. He just played a boring face, seemed to bury the hatchet with Cody Rhodes and acknowledge Roman Reigns as the one true tribal chief.
The Rock did show his face a second time in the show, however, after Reigns’ win over Solo Sikoa. I thought ‘yes, here we go, he’s going to turn on Roman,’ but no, he just put the ula fala over his head and played second fiddle. Boring.
Great wrestling
It’s easy to forget about the wrestling with all the glitz, glamour and grandeur of WWE’s debut on Netflix. RAW didn’t have loads of it, but what they did have was absolutely incredible.
First-up was the Tribal Combat match between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa. It was plenty of fun, was interrupted by stars like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Cody Rhodes, the New Bloodline and more, and saw the OTC triumph.
Then there was the Women’s World Heavyweight Championship match between Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley. Even though these two seem to have feuded for as long as time itself, this final bout was well executed, topsy-turvy, and I couldn’t for the life of me predict who was going to win before Ripley regained her title after two brutal Riptides.
Then there was Drew McIntyre vs Jey Uso, and main eventing was the volatile rivalry between Seth Rollins and CM Punk. Both told entertaining stories throughout, capping off a great night of wrasslin’ in the squared circle.
Hulk Hogan
A legend of professional wrestling in his own right, Hulk Hogan, accompanied by Jimmy Hart waving the US flag, made his return to the WWE. Unsurprisingly, it went down like a lead balloon.
The Hulkamaniac struggled through his promo, which announced a partnership between the WWE and his new Real American Beer brand, as the 17,000-strong audience booed him out of the building. It was very difficult to watch.
Hogan cuts a controversial figure in the business at the moment, and his inclusion shows the company has failed to realise his time has long since passed by.
Where was the wrestling?
As alluded to previously, there was just nowhere near enough wrestling throughout the entire show. Five matches in over three hours is shocking, even by Monday Night RAW’s own standards.
Triple H put on a whole presentation at the start of the programme, telling the story of how the WWE and professional wrestling came to be. Yet throughout it felt like the actual professional wrestling was an afterthought.
The GOAT commentary duo reunited
I grew up in the days of Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler putting on a show from the WWE commentary box. I loved every second, their comedic timing, how they played off one another, and how they would perfectly add to what was going on on-screen. I never once thought they would ever be matched, let alone topped.
And RAW on Netflix brought back my favourite commentary duo ever, Michael Cole and Pat McAfee. The pair are yin and yang, they are so different but when they come together they create something incredibly special.
Just re-watch Jey Uso and Kendrick Lamar’s goose bump-inducing entrance during the show. Not only were the sold-out crowd bouncing, but both Cole and McAfee could be seen standing on the announce table, dancing and ‘yeeting’ to their heart’s content.
Even the jokes they cracked throughout were laugh-out-loud hilarious and really struck a cord with me. It seems to me that this move away from traditional television seems to have given them even more freedom.