WWE’s Monday Night RAW premiered on Netflix, and the long-awaited premiere was stacked with stars, featured a brand new logo, and some amazing matches.
Here are three takeaways from the benchmark night in wrestling.
1. A much-needed refresh
Ever since its inception, the Monday Night RAW branding has been pretty consistent. Mainly red, sometimes white, but mostly red, all over the arena. But with RAW on Netflix, it has received a much-needed modern glow-up.
The graphics around the ring are bolder and pop more. The new announcer’s table is modern, with LED lights around the sides of it. It might be breaking less on RAW, but the visual redesign is worth the change. The stage is considerably minimalized. It remains to be seen if that was due to the large crowd at the show or if it would be a permanent change, but it is the illusion of
the fans are right on top of the wrestlers.
Also brand new to RAW is the ring mat. While sponsorships were introduced at WrestleMania 40 with the Prime logo at every premium live event, this was the first RAW where the ring was covered in sponsorships. From Fortnite to Netflix to Cricket, it’s clear that WWE is taking a big step forward when it comes to advertising and growing its brand.
However, the best piece of production from the show comes right at the beginning with the cold open. The three-minute open sees an artist painting a ring canvas with some of WWE’s biggest and brightest stars over the years, with Triple H narrating over it. It is worth the watch if you’re new to WWE. Overall, the production was top-tier, with no issues on Netflix.
2. The John Cena retirement tour will be an emotional rollercoaster
Wrestling fan or not, everyone knows who John Cena is. For those who don’t know, Cena, who is one of the most successful wrestlers in professional wrestling history, is entering his final year in WWE. And fans of his are set for one emotional rollercoaster.
Cena kicked off his retirement tour last night on Netflix, with all eyes on potentially breaking Ric Flair’s 16 world championship record, which Cena tied back in 2017. Cena made it clear that he needs to earn his way back to the top and mentioned how it has been over 2,000 days since he has been victorious in a singles match.
However, with the crowd behind him, dawning brand new “The Last Time is Now” gear, Cena discussed that while it is a lottery ticket, he can earn his way to a WrestleMania championship match by winning the Royal Rumble in Indianapolis on Feb. 1. This was prime Cena storytelling. He inspires the fans to believe that while all odds are stacked against him, he will never give up.
For fans, Cena’s last story could be his most compelling; the stakes have never been higher in his career, as winning a world championship would see him cemented as the greatest to ever do it. Not to mention, matches with stars like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, and more are on the horizon. Cena fans are in for a rollercoaster ride over the next 12 months.
3. The Rock’s appearance on RAW was a strange one
Whenever you hear “If you smell what the Rock is cooking.” at a WWE show, you know you’re in for a memorable moment. And the first RAW on Netflix wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. However, his appearance was an odd one, to say the least.
In the early part of 2024, the Rock returned to wrestling on a consistent basis for the first time in 10 years. Originally slated to face his cousin Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania, plans changed when the fans showed strong support for Cody Rhodes. That change turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it created the character known as the final boss. The Final Boss version of
the Rock harkened back to his attitude-era heel days. Where he said and did whatever he wanted. And with the added real-life role as a member of the WWE board of directors, it added that much more depth to his character.
However, despite being the Final Boss in his most recent WWE appearance, the Rock came out more as the happy-face version of the Rock. He even thanked Cody Rhodes for carrying the WWE on his back for the last year. Even after Roman defeated Solo Sikoa to regain Ula Fala, his Tribal Chief title, the Rock did little to push his part of the Bloodline story forward.
While this could very well be a one-off kayfabe break, it’s hard to ignore this appearance as a roadblock in the Rock, Roman, Cody story.
Final thoughts
Overall, it’s hard not to be excited for RAW on Netflix. With a more flexible show timing, more captivating moments and a much-needed modern redesign, 2025 is already shaping up to be another great year for Netflix and WWE.
Kcassman