I've been into wrestling for about 30-35 years now. Haven't watched a live RAW since they went to 3 hours back in 2012(?). I watch the highlights on YT or listen to your guys' review, or read results. So this was my first live RAW in 13ish years and this was hard to get through, even when not paying full attention. As you guys said, first match was 20 minutes long and very slow paced and then the second match wasn't until like 9:30, 90 minutes into the show, and nothing really of note happened for the rest of it outside of Hogan getting booed, which I had a good laugh at. Ripley winning the title was nice, I guess, but she's been feuding seemingly exclusively with Liv for almost a year now and overstayed it's welcome a long time ago. Being in the US, I had ads/commercials and for someone who hasn't watched TV in quite some time in general and pays for ad free streaming services, including Netflix, ooof. Was a good reminder of why I pay for ad free streaming. Also not a fan of coming back from commercials for a legit couple of minutes just to go back into commercials. I've got Netflix for a month to try this RAW on Netflix out and after week 1, it's leaning towards a no for renewal, least for me. I'll stick to the highlights and reports.
Have not watched wwe since aew started, I agree with you. I won’t be watching again, it felt so corporate to me, matches were slow and plodding, it felt like the spectacle was the reason to watch and not the wrestling or story, hey guys look at the lights listen to the music look at the adds and celebrities that are here. AEW has adds even in max, it sucks… but wwe adds felt way more often and for longer. People have there feelings on Tony Kahn and aew, that’s fine, it’s got some issues, but it feels like a show to promote wrestling. wwe feels like a show to promote making money more than any other thing, nxt under HHH did not feel that way at all. I feel slightly bad for him, clearly wwe is so big now, he can’t really change much. Vince’s sports entertainment has poisoned the company, it’s not pro wrestling any more and I don’t think there is any way to go back. I think many in wwe like hhh would like to make more drastic changes, but share holders, are scared of losing there audience . that to them this is wrestling, they don’t watch other companies, have not seen any of the history of the sport, dint even know probably of AAA, CMLL, REVPRO, NJPW, DDT or the vast history of wrestling around the globe. To millions sports entertainment is pro wrestling, and history shows it’s a cousin at best
WWE bringing out Hogan is the biggest example of not reading the room. And I don't even think it's political or even the racial tirade, the audience is done with his same old phony schtick and doesn't add anything of value to the product and never will again.
I honestly think we may never see hogan again. At least in the US. Maybe he can still get cheered in Saudi Arabia. Also RIP Real American Beer. What a bust
Congrats, this must be the most objective WWE review I've watched, people that watch it CLEARLY do not do it for the in-ring product. Also, I don't think what Charlton said justified what happened to him.
I think people cheer when they mention "the largest gate" because (like I tend to) they might confuse it with "largest attendance" which feels more like something to cheer, I might be wrong but that's my only guess lol
I've finally been watching Lost after all these years. I had heard so much about it, and I made it to Season 6, which was really bad - especially following a Season 5 that was also bad. Season 6 felt boring and dragged on without ever really getting to the point. Still, I stopped watching this episode of RAW and continued with Lost because it was still more interesting lol. By the way, Lost is ultimately worth checking out, in my opinion. I won’t spoil anything, but the last two seasons do bring it down quite a bit - maybe to a 6/10. Regardless, it’s a historic show, and I’m glad I finally got around to experiencing it. Watch the first three-four seasons.
The RAW Debut on Netflix was a Good Show. The Cold Open narrated by Triple H was a masterpiece. Tribal Combat was your Overbooked Special. I thought we would get the start of the build towards The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania XLI in the Post-Match. John Cena cut a fine promo declaring himself for the Royal Rumble Match. I expect Goldberg to be in that match too. Goldberg and Cena having a staredown in the middle of the ring at the Royal Rumble will generate a big pop in Lucas Oil Stadium. Looks like the Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan Program is done after Ripley won the title from Morgan. Ripley hitting the Riptide on Dominik Mysterio was months in the making. Congrats to Rhea Ripley on becoming the Daughter of Destruction after interacting with The Undertaker on the way to the back. It seems that after Finn Balor is done with Damien Priest, the Judgment Day will be onto their program with the Wyatt Sicks that will culminate in a match at WrestleMania XLI with all 6 Members of The Judgment Day against all 6 Members of the Wyatt Sicks as Alexa Bliss might become a member of that group when she returns to TV. Jey Uso beating Drew McIntyre was a shocker. Some expected a DQ Finish to this match. Hulk Hogan had flashbacks to his early days in WCW where he got booed out of the building despite cutting his brief Babyface Promo that promoted his beer which I won't be drinking anytime soon as I don't drink beer at all. The Main Event between Seth Rollins and CM Punk was very good. Punk's Promo on the Post Show had the feel of a Post Fight Interview on a UFC or Boxing Show. Surprised that we didn't get Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch returning tonight. Looks like Flair will make her return on the January 27th Episode of RAW while I see Lynch returning as early as the Royal Rumble. Jackie Redmond was great with the podium style interviews during the breaks on the International Netflix Feed while American Viewers were watching commercials. Don't be shocked to see her giving sideline reports on an NFL Broadcast one day just like she does for NHL Hockey. The Netflix Stream was smoother than the 2007 Phone Video Camera Quality that viewers got for the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul Card in November. I give this a 7 out of 10 with a couple of Points deducted for Hulk Hogan having his Ripped Shirt hanging at the bottom of his feet as he walked to the back.
Wild how many folks seem to think they’re required to watch wwe programming even though they think it’s utter dogshit. If you don’t like their content, don’t watch it! You have so much other great wrestling to watch. Obviously folks who watch wwe like what they offer- they’re clearly doing fine lol. Same with aew- folks who watch it clearly love it and if you don’t just change the channel..
Normally not a WWE television viewer but checked this one out. Overall, I didn't enjoy it. Mostly pretty average matches with the actual wrestling being deemed as secondary. No Gunther besides a prerecorded promo but we had Hogan lol. Production was obviously fantastic, but besides that I felt this fell short of the mark. It aligns with how i have felt about the promotion for the last 8 or so months
John think about it for a second because you’re so puzzled about rock. Tonight was not for The Fan who has been watching for 20 years or even six months. Tonight was for people who heard it was coming, or who turned on Netflix and saw it and clicked on it. Dwayne Johnson is probably the biggest movie star on earth. He was the perfect person to introduce new fans to this company and to tell them that Cody is the big star this was for people who didn’t know anything about this business, which is the base they were trying to reach because People like us are going to follow them wherever they go. I don’t think that it means anything is off the table for wrestlemania whatsoever. Though he might not do anything. But he was the only choice to introduce this business to a whole new group of fans and if he had come out as he’ll final boss it would not have made sense to people.
While I don't agree with anything you wrote here, I think you deciding to write all this is the proof in the pudding so to speak. WWE fans are sheep. They'll accept anything the company tells them to accept... besides Hulk Hogan I guess. If Rock wants to do Mania & returns in a month claiming he has beef with Cody - the fans will justify it to themselves like this comment I'm replying to. Nothing is off the table in WWE as long as the sheep will just smile, nod & burst into applause when they are informed the company made records profits off their hard earned dollars.
@@robbiebihari3411 I mean, think about it. You’re starting on a brand new outlet that is far bigger than the USA network and you have perhaps the single biggest star in entertainment. Not pro wrestling. He is, as only two other people have ever become, bigger than the sport. he transcends it, and he gets people‘s attention who don’t know anything about it. What kind of sense would it have made for a brand new viewer if you made Cody into a bigger deal then the guy who, is a bigger deal to the culture of the country and even the globe than Cody will ever be? It’s just logic.
Yea, on the njpw news story, I disagree, he deserved to be punished, they have said multiple times one of there big goals, is to attract non Japanese fans to there product. You don’t ever live on commentary start bad mouthing a partner company. It’s stupid and completely unprofessional,and I would feel the same way if aew did that, what if that sunk the partnership with aew? It would cost njpw a lot of money, a lot of reach into North America. That was not a work, it was not to create a narrative story wise, others have said over the last year he is very diehard njpw, and that’s fine, clearly he is bitter about talent leaving to the states, and he screwed up. He should have been professional and kept his personal feelings to him self. Me personally if he was my employee and risked a partnership I desperately needed in a time of transition. I would have fired his ass on the spot.
whole vibe was off on this show, watched with 3 friends, 2 have never watched, 1 hasn't watched since WWECW. Everything felt so trite even for first timers and long time lapsed fan, The Rock, Hogan, old man Punk going over Seth who pulled out like 11 finishers, its all same old same old for WWE
Wai I don’t think whatever your opinion is of Hulk Hogan that this was indicative of the Wrestling fan not liking him anymore. I don’t know what you know about American politics, but they were in the most blue city in the country, in the most blue state in the country. if he shows up in San Antonio, they will cheer him out of the building.
Regardless of live reaction, it sends a message to WWE that his presence will alienate and turn off a large portion of their audience watching at home. This is a division that WWE has deliberately tried to stray away from by remaining apolitical in their product, presumably because they know alienating half the base is bad for business. This is obviously different from the UFC, who has instead aimed to entirely appeal to one side at the expense of the other. But as we said, I believe most of his negative reputation is still largely based through his racist rant caught on video. His MAGA-ties, Harris "Indian" remarks, and other associations only continue to communicate a lack of care to change. -W
@ they’re smart enough to stay away from all of that I hope but, Dana is doing it so Paul may decide he’s going to do it too. I hope not, but it would be very interesting to see what happens if they use him in the south. The southern United States is far far far more right leaning than the West Coast. if it has nothing to do with the politics, and the whole country has just decided that they’re done with him, well, that’s the end of the Hulkster.
I found it baffling how they opened with such a slow 20+ minute Bloodline match. These matches are polairizing even as main events, putting this into the opener was a terrible choice. They should have opened with something fast paced, the main event was the only decent match on the show which is a shame because from the graphics, presentation etc this was top notch, but the content can't keep up. By the way, regarding Wai saying Reigns & Sikoa didn't go in there to do 6 or 7 stars, instead they were there for celebs and starpower, indicating that the two guys at WK in fact were there for 6 or 7 stars, I heavily disagree. Shota Umino and ZSJ were there to establish Umino as the chosen one who isn't ready yet, neither ready to put on a great classic nor win the title. It is not their fault that the WK main event carries such a weight that everyone expects 6 stars from it, these two told a story, a slow one, but they told a lot of it. So maybe we should all be careful with how we interpret things that never been said on a program, for all promotions.
lol this show was a branding exercise and for some reason you’re comparing it to a Tokyo dome show. Hilarious to read comments from smarks who don’t seem remotely capable of grasping what wwe audiences want. Great news! You don’t have to watch this shit!
I've been into wrestling for about 30-35 years now. Haven't watched a live RAW since they went to 3 hours back in 2012(?). I watch the highlights on YT or listen to your guys' review, or read results. So this was my first live RAW in 13ish years and this was hard to get through, even when not paying full attention. As you guys said, first match was 20 minutes long and very slow paced and then the second match wasn't until like 9:30, 90 minutes into the show, and nothing really of note happened for the rest of it outside of Hogan getting booed, which I had a good laugh at. Ripley winning the title was nice, I guess, but she's been feuding seemingly exclusively with Liv for almost a year now and overstayed it's welcome a long time ago. Being in the US, I had ads/commercials and for someone who hasn't watched TV in quite some time in general and pays for ad free streaming services, including Netflix, ooof. Was a good reminder of why I pay for ad free streaming. Also not a fan of coming back from commercials for a legit couple of minutes just to go back into commercials. I've got Netflix for a month to try this RAW on Netflix out and after week 1, it's leaning towards a no for renewal, least for me. I'll stick to the highlights and reports.
Thanks for sharing your experience, WBoyd.
Do you watch AEW? You'd probably enjoy it a lot more. More action faster paced matches etc.
Have not watched wwe since aew started, I agree with you. I won’t be watching again, it felt so corporate to me, matches were slow and plodding, it felt like the spectacle was the reason to watch and not the wrestling or story, hey guys look at the lights listen to the music look at the adds and celebrities that are here. AEW has adds even in max, it sucks… but wwe adds felt way more often and for longer. People have there feelings on Tony Kahn and aew, that’s fine, it’s got some issues, but it feels like a show to promote wrestling. wwe feels like a show to promote making money more than any other thing, nxt under HHH did not feel that way at all. I feel slightly bad for him, clearly wwe is so big now, he can’t really change much. Vince’s sports entertainment has poisoned the company, it’s not pro wrestling any more and I don’t think there is any way to go back. I think many in wwe like hhh would like to make more drastic changes, but share holders, are scared of losing there audience . that to them this is wrestling, they don’t watch other companies, have not seen any of the history of the sport, dint even know probably of AAA, CMLL, REVPRO, NJPW, DDT or the vast history of wrestling around the globe. To millions sports entertainment is pro wrestling, and history shows it’s a cousin at best
WWE bringing out Hogan is the biggest example of not reading the room. And I don't even think it's political or even the racial tirade, the audience is done with his same old phony schtick and doesn't add anything of value to the product and never will again.
I honestly think we may never see hogan again. At least in the US. Maybe he can still get cheered in Saudi Arabia. Also RIP Real American Beer. What a bust
I agree. He’s done the same uninteresting shtick on the show since he left TNA. It means nothing.
It’s the racism….
yeah it’s definitely the racism.
It’s the Trump association. If his beer wasn’t a sponsor, we wouldn’t have seen him
Congrats on the new format guys. Even for someone who likes the news, getting to the review straight away is really nice. Keep up the great work!
Why was John so fired up by Schiavone’s tweet 🤣
WWE RAW Drinking game. Take shot every time they say Netflix. You be drop dead drunk at the end of the first hour
Nice review
LMAO Hamilton Dan articulated everything I felt perfectly!
Congrats, this must be the most objective WWE review I've watched, people that watch it CLEARLY do not do it for the in-ring product.
Also, I don't think what Charlton said justified what happened to him.
Did anyone notice what looked like a carpet burn on Drew’s temple and something similar on Punk? Wonder if new mat not as smooth as old mats they use?
Raw on Netflix is a working progress. Micheal Cole kept being cut off
I think people cheer when they mention "the largest gate" because (like I tend to) they might confuse it with "largest attendance" which feels more like something to cheer, I might be wrong but that's my only guess lol
Was it just me, or was Michael Cole audio cutting out at some times ?
It was likely during his ad reads for the versions of the show with commercials. -W
I thought it was the worst show they've done in many many months. So slow and boring. The Hogan segment though made it all worthwhile 😂
😂😂
Totally agree with Hamilton Dan (or was it Dave?). AEW how I have misjudged you. I'll never cheat on you again.
To me, four matches over 3 hours seemed light to me.
I've finally been watching Lost after all these years. I had heard so much about it, and I made it to Season 6, which was really bad - especially following a Season 5 that was also bad. Season 6 felt boring and dragged on without ever really getting to the point. Still, I stopped watching this episode of RAW and continued with Lost because it was still more interesting lol.
By the way, Lost is ultimately worth checking out, in my opinion. I won’t spoil anything, but the last two seasons do bring it down quite a bit - maybe to a 6/10. Regardless, it’s a historic show, and I’m glad I finally got around to experiencing it. Watch the first three-four seasons.
The RAW Debut on Netflix was a Good Show.
The Cold Open narrated by Triple H was a masterpiece.
Tribal Combat was your Overbooked Special. I thought we would get the start of the build towards The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania XLI in the Post-Match.
John Cena cut a fine promo declaring himself for the Royal Rumble Match. I expect Goldberg to be in that match too. Goldberg and Cena having a staredown in the middle of the ring at the Royal Rumble will generate a big pop in Lucas Oil Stadium.
Looks like the Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan Program is done after Ripley won the title from Morgan. Ripley hitting the Riptide on Dominik Mysterio was months in the making. Congrats to Rhea Ripley on becoming the Daughter of Destruction after interacting with The Undertaker on the way to the back. It seems that after Finn Balor is done with Damien Priest, the Judgment Day will be onto their program with the Wyatt Sicks that will culminate in a match at WrestleMania XLI with all 6 Members of The Judgment Day against all 6 Members of the Wyatt Sicks as Alexa Bliss might become a member of that group when she returns to TV.
Jey Uso beating Drew McIntyre was a shocker. Some expected a DQ Finish to this match.
Hulk Hogan had flashbacks to his early days in WCW where he got booed out of the building despite cutting his brief Babyface Promo that promoted his beer which I won't be drinking anytime soon as I don't drink beer at all.
The Main Event between Seth Rollins and CM Punk was very good.
Punk's Promo on the Post Show had the feel of a Post Fight Interview on a UFC or Boxing Show.
Surprised that we didn't get Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch returning tonight. Looks like Flair will make her return on the January 27th Episode of RAW while I see Lynch returning as early as the Royal Rumble.
Jackie Redmond was great with the podium style interviews during the breaks on the International Netflix Feed while American Viewers were watching commercials. Don't be shocked to see her giving sideline reports on an NFL Broadcast one day just like she does for NHL Hockey.
The Netflix Stream was smoother than the 2007 Phone Video Camera Quality that viewers got for the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul Card in November.
I give this a 7 out of 10 with a couple of Points deducted for Hulk Hogan having his Ripped Shirt hanging at the bottom of his feet as he walked to the back.
Disappointed no Penta debut. I would have kept his name off that mask graphic.
Wild how many folks seem to think they’re required to watch wwe programming even though they think it’s utter dogshit. If you don’t like their content, don’t watch it! You have so much other great wrestling to watch. Obviously folks who watch wwe like what they offer- they’re clearly doing fine lol. Same with aew- folks who watch it clearly love it and if you don’t just change the channel..
Normally not a WWE television viewer but checked this one out. Overall, I didn't enjoy it. Mostly pretty average matches with the actual wrestling being deemed as secondary. No Gunther besides a prerecorded promo but we had Hogan lol.
Production was obviously fantastic, but besides that I felt this fell short of the mark. It aligns with how i have felt about the promotion for the last 8 or so months
John think about it for a second because you’re so puzzled about rock. Tonight was not for The Fan who has been watching for 20 years or even six months. Tonight was for people who heard it was coming, or who turned on Netflix and saw it and clicked on it. Dwayne Johnson is probably the biggest movie star on earth. He was the perfect person to introduce new fans to this company and to tell them that Cody is the big star this was for people who didn’t know anything about this business, which is the base they were trying to reach because People like us are going to follow them wherever they go. I don’t think that it means anything is off the table for wrestlemania whatsoever. Though he might not do anything. But he was the only choice to introduce this business to a whole new group of fans and if he had come out as he’ll final boss it would not have made sense to people.
While I don't agree with anything you wrote here, I think you deciding to write all this is the proof in the pudding so to speak. WWE fans are sheep. They'll accept anything the company tells them to accept... besides Hulk Hogan I guess. If Rock wants to do Mania & returns in a month claiming he has beef with Cody - the fans will justify it to themselves like this comment I'm replying to. Nothing is off the table in WWE as long as the sheep will just smile, nod & burst into applause when they are informed the company made records profits off their hard earned dollars.
@@robbiebihari3411 I mean, think about it. You’re starting on a brand new outlet that is far bigger than the USA network and you have perhaps the single biggest star in entertainment. Not pro wrestling. He is, as only two other people have ever become, bigger than the sport. he transcends it, and he gets people‘s attention who don’t know anything about it. What kind of sense would it have made for a brand new viewer if you made Cody into a bigger deal then the guy who, is a bigger deal to the culture of the country and even the globe than Cody will ever be? It’s just logic.
This was promo from daune not the rock
Yea, on the njpw news story, I disagree, he deserved to be punished, they have said multiple times one of there big goals, is to attract non Japanese fans to there product. You don’t ever live on commentary start bad mouthing a partner company. It’s stupid and completely unprofessional,and I would feel the same way if aew did that, what if that sunk the partnership with aew? It would cost njpw a lot of money, a lot of reach into North America. That was not a work, it was not to create a narrative story wise, others have said over the last year he is very diehard njpw, and that’s fine, clearly he is bitter about talent leaving to the states, and he screwed up. He should have been professional and kept his personal feelings to him self. Me personally if he was my employee and risked a partnership I desperately needed in a time of transition. I would have fired his ass on the spot.
whole vibe was off on this show, watched with 3 friends, 2 have never watched, 1 hasn't watched since WWECW. Everything felt so trite even for first timers and long time lapsed fan, The Rock, Hogan, old man Punk going over Seth who pulled out like 11 finishers, its all same old same old for WWE
Wai I don’t think whatever your opinion is of Hulk Hogan that this was indicative of the Wrestling fan not liking him anymore. I don’t know what you know about American politics, but they were in the most blue city in the country, in the most blue state in the country. if he shows up in San Antonio, they will cheer him out of the building.
Regardless of live reaction, it sends a message to WWE that his presence will alienate and turn off a large portion of their audience watching at home. This is a division that WWE has deliberately tried to stray away from by remaining apolitical in their product, presumably because they know alienating half the base is bad for business. This is obviously different from the UFC, who has instead aimed to entirely appeal to one side at the expense of the other.
But as we said, I believe most of his negative reputation is still largely based through his racist rant caught on video. His MAGA-ties, Harris "Indian" remarks, and other associations only continue to communicate a lack of care to change. -W
@ they’re smart enough to stay away from all of that I hope but, Dana is doing it so Paul may decide he’s going to do it too. I hope not, but it would be very interesting to see what happens if they use him in the south. The southern United States is far far far more right leaning than the West Coast. if it has nothing to do with the politics, and the whole country has just decided that they’re done with him, well, that’s the end of the Hulkster.
I found it baffling how they opened with such a slow 20+ minute Bloodline match. These matches are polairizing even as main events, putting this into the opener was a terrible choice. They should have opened with something fast paced, the main event was the only decent match on the show which is a shame because from the graphics, presentation etc this was top notch, but the content can't keep up.
By the way, regarding Wai saying Reigns & Sikoa didn't go in there to do 6 or 7 stars, instead they were there for celebs and starpower, indicating that the two guys at WK in fact were there for 6 or 7 stars, I heavily disagree. Shota Umino and ZSJ were there to establish Umino as the chosen one who isn't ready yet, neither ready to put on a great classic nor win the title. It is not their fault that the WK main event carries such a weight that everyone expects 6 stars from it, these two told a story, a slow one, but they told a lot of it. So maybe we should all be careful with how we interpret things that never been said on a program, for all promotions.
lol this show was a branding exercise and for some reason you’re comparing it to a Tokyo dome show. Hilarious to read comments from smarks who don’t seem remotely capable of grasping what wwe audiences want. Great news! You don’t have to watch this shit!
@@Mmgeneral Lmao watch the video, tribalist. I'm referring to a comparison made by John, typical comments trashtalker that doesn't watch the reviews.