The First WWE Monday Night Raw On Netflix Changes Everything For Wrestling Fans

The first Monday Night Raw on Netflix aired tonight to a raucous crowd and millions at home! It marked the biggest moment in WWE broadcast history. WWE's flagship show has been on cable television for the majority of my life, and the lives of millions of fans. The WWE on Netflix era has begun, but was it worth it?

What did Netflix subscribers and WWE fans get as wrestling history was made in Los Angeles? For something so grand, there was a lengthy introduction that marked the change in WWEs direction. The Netflix era, according to Triple H, is here. 

WWE and Netflix treated those tuning in early to a main event caliber match. The first match of the night featured Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns battling for the title of Tribal Chief, in Tribal Combat. For those of you who don't know, that is a fanciful way of saying there were no rules. 

The match was an exciting culmination of the rivalry that has spanned months since the return of Roman Reigns. The two men hit each other with everything there was, including vile chair shots, kendo sticks, stairs, and drops on the announcer's table. And, as any fan would have guessed, there were shenanigans from both Solo's camp that brought out reinforcements. 

The New Bloodline members, Toma Tonga and The Samoan Werewolf Jacob Fatu appeared on WWEs first Raw on Netflix. They did what the heels do, and attempted to take out Roman Reigns, who despite not knowing how to react, is a babyface. In enters the original bloodline members, Sami Zayn and Jimmy Uso. 

As the bought seemed to have even odds, and it was just Reigns and Solo standing in the new Netflix WWE Raw ring, enters the whiner, Kevin Owens. Owens took his frustration from the past few years out on Roman before the appearance of the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes. 

Thanks to Rhodes showing up, and beating Kevin Owens into the WWE Universe, Roman Reigns was able to regain control of the match and ultimately, his kingdom. As Paul Heyman was about to bestow the Ula Fala back to the OTC, the Rock's music played, and out comes the Final Boss. Dwayne Johnson stayed in his friendlier mode tonight and as a fellow Samoan, it was he who placed the Ula Fala back around the neck of the winner, Roman Reigns. 

In the 2nd match of the night, we got to see the Women's Champion, Liv Morgan, defend her title against the Eradicator, Rhea Ripley. The match had a spirited back and forth with some attempts at shenanigans by Liv's associates, Dirty Dom Mysterio and Racquel Rodriguez. Ultimately, it would be a bad day for the queen of the Judgement Day, as the powerhouse Ripley would gain some revenge on her long-time rival and recapture the women's world title. 

At the end of the match, Dirty Dom earned his name and tried to get one over on Rhea. For his troubles, she kicked him in his dirty family jewels and hit him with a riptide finishing move for good measure. With any luck, he won't be reproducing any time soon. 

As Rhea celebrated her way to the back, she was treated to an appearance by none other than the American Badass. For WWE fans, it's always a pleasure to see the Deadman one more time. 

We were treated to an appearance by none other than John Cena. Cena kicked off his retirement tour by teasing fans that there was no 17th and record-breaking title in his future. He hasn't won a singles match in seven years, so it's believable that he wouldn't be in contention. How would Cena possibly get a title shot? You guessed it, entering the Royal Rumble. If he wins the Rumble he can go on to the main event of Wrestlemania and attempt to beat Ric Flairs' record. We'll see. Cena retires in December of 2025, so his chances are limited. 

The third and fourth matches were still to come. After several backstage appearances and acknowledgments by Michael Cole and Pat McCaffe, we got to see all the celebrities who were out for the first WWE Raw on Netflix. There were a ton of them in attendance. 

Fans may feel like the production shot its biggest shots too early. The 3rd match featured Jey "Main Event" Uso facing off with the "Scottish Psychopath" Drew McIntyre. Drew has been on a mission to take out everyone connected to Roman Reigns, but tonight wasn't to be his night. After a good old-fashioned back-and-forth slugfest, Drew went for a Claymore Kick and Jey had him well scouted. When he missed, Jey rolled Drew up for the win. 

The next special appearance on the first WWE Raw on Netflix didn't sound like it went over well. It was none other than the Hulkster himself, accompanied by Jimmy Hart. As 'I am a real American' hit the speakers, the crowd got strangely quiet. Hogan talked about history, his Real American Beer, and Netflix partnering with WWE as most of the crowd seemed uninterested in the legend's appearance, or booed. 

Lastly, the fourth match featured the long-awaited fight between CM Punk and Seth "Freakin" Rollins. This has been one that some fans have been salivating for, but after watching the match, should have probably started the show. Rollins and Punk are great at what they do, but after the highs of the first two matches, this felt less like a main event and more like a letdown. Congratulations to CM Punk on beating Seth, and we hope your second match in the feud is better. 

Netflix aired its first WWE Raw tonight, and it's the beginning of a new era in sports entertainment. Thankfully, they were more prepared to keep the show going than they were for the Mike Tyson fight with Jake Paul. As more and more people pull away from cable and turn to streaming options, WWE has cashed in by becoming a part of the Netflix family of shows. Now, we'll see if they can deliver. It's Wrestlemania season, and the road to the biggest show of the year is underway. From experience, we can expect their best efforts from now to Wrestlemania, when things traditionally get reset.