Winners And Losers From WWE’s First ‘Raw’ On Netflix

The first episode of WWE’s Monday night flagship program “Raw” on Netflix largely looked and sounded like another chapter in the longest-running episodic show on television.

But it certainly didn’t feel like a run-of-the-mill Monday night offering, and that’s obviously by design.

Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, will go down as one of the biggest nights in the history of professional wrestling. It might go down as one of the biggest nights in entertainment and media history, too. The groundbreaking partnership could set the mold for future business deals while transforming how both companies are viewed around the world.

Pretty heady stuff.

Here are some winners and losers from the first night of WWE’s new era:

WINNER: Netflix and the WWE
Duh, right? If the first night is any indication, the decision to pay $5 billion for the rights to “Raw” is going to age quite nicely for Netflix. The rating surely will be through the roof, and the ability to put this content in front of billions across the world has unlimited value. It’s also a major step forward in Netflix’s quest to further conquer the media world with the most valuable asset in media: live events. After the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson buffering snafu, Netflix has some momentum with the Christmas Day NFL doubleheader and a smooth debut for Raw.

As for the WWE, did we mention the $5 billion? On top of that, we’re living in a world where distribution is a major hurdle for content creators, especially as the linear TV model faces major uncertainty. The WWE is probably about to reach global heights it has never seen.

LOSER: Pro wrestling’s old school
Kayfabe is deader than dead, and there are probably some old-school fans out there who were turned off by some of Monday night’s developments. The opening video package was spectacular but went out of its way to tell you you’re watching something scripted. We kind of all know that, but it’s just another sign this is a truly different era.

WINNER: Drones
There was so much dronage! Drones were everywhere. From the intricate drone light shows splashed across the Los Angeles sky to the innovative shots inside Intuit Dome, it’s clear WWE (and Netflix?) were ready to try out some new toys. WWE is still largely responsible for TV production of Raw, but it will be worth watching to see if there are more innovations with how it looks on TV now that Netflix is involved, too.

LOSER: Cody Rhodes
The undisputed WWE champion had a strange night. You could certainly argue he, as the face of the company, should have opened the show. That honor went to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which is understandable, especially given the latter’s standing on the company’s board. However, it was weird that WWE used Rhodes as a supporting character for Johnson, putting him ringside for the opening promo and then again in a backstage segment. He did do a run-in during the Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa match, but it’s surprising he didn’t have more of a presence. Speaking of …

LOSER: WrestleMania ticket holders
The WWE really wanted to make Monday night a big deal, and it might have come at the expense of WrestleMania. According to a report, two Mania matches were moved to Raw: CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins and Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley. Not only that, it’s hard to watch The Rock’s involvement in anything and believe he’ll have in-ring involvement in Las Vegas, too. Instead of Rock-Rhodes, it sure feels (and maybe sounds like?) John Cena will get that title match at Mania which leaves something to be desired, quite frankly.

LOSER: Gunther
The world heavyweight champion’s biggest moment of the night might have been when CM Punk called him out after the main event. Other than that, not much going on for the other champion, either.

WINNER: Rhea Ripley
She’s the biggest women’s star in the sport, and it’s not particularly close. She gets the title back, and the Mania shake-up could benefit her, especially if someone like Charlotte Flair makes a return at the Royal Rumble.

WINNER: Seth Rollins
How is the loser of the main event a winner? Rollins continues to put on incredible matches with just about everyone, and what’s especially impressive is that he hasn’t won a big match in what feels like years. He’s on a generational run of putting over major stars and making them look better in the process. Even though he isn’t winning, he still gets booked for main events regularly and remains as over as he has ever been. Impressive stuff — just ask CM Punk.

LOSER: Hulk Hogan
A willingness to put others over and make them look good has never been a hallmark for Hogan. Perhaps that’s all catching up with him? It would be easy, lazy even, to say Hogan’s political foray is the reason he got booed out of the building in blue California. It goes beyond that, though. There was plenty of evidence before Hogan got anywhere close to the Republican National Convention stage that he was a bad dude, and people don’t forget — especially wrestling fans. And at this point, apathy plays a big role, too. Like, we get it, we get it all — from the flag-waving Jimmy Hart to the Andre the Giant mentions to the brothers and Hulkamania and on and on. That Monday’s calamity was largely put on the books for Hogan to hawk his new beer only made it worse. Maybe that on-screen appearance was part of the deal (the beer was advertised on the new canvas, too), but it felt like an own goal on an otherwise celebratory night.

At this point, the Hulkster should turn his focus to a senate run or whatever else he’s got cooked up for his later years and stop pretending it’s 1989.

WINNER: Macaulay Culkin
Conversely, Culkin got one of the biggest pops of the night. The “Home Alone” star’s reception was even more notable next to the loud boos for Hogan. Huge night for millennials.

WINNER: Jey Uso
Has Jey Uso ever had a truly memorable singles match? Not really! But people sure love waving their arms around when he comes out, and the Travis Scott rub only amplified Jey’s star power in today’s WWE.

LOSER: Will Friedle
If you’re asking yourself “Who is Will Friedle?” right now, you are part of the problem. The actor best known for his role as Eric Matthews on “Boy Meets World” was shown twice on camera during the celebrity role calls throughout the night. It was especially painful for fans of a certain age to see Danielle Fishel, aka Topanga Lawrence, get her (deserved) props without any acknowledgment for Friedle sitting right next to her. The man was pressed by WWE legend Vader in an episode back in the 90s, for crying out loud. Make it right, WWE!