Record-Breaking Premiere

In an exciting collaboration that has fans buzzing, WWE and Netflix announced that the highly anticipated debut episode of *WWE RAW* on the streaming platform captured an impressive 4.9 million global views for its premiere on January 6, 2025. This monumental event marked a new chapter for WWE as it transitioned its flagship show to Netflix, a move that has been in the works since a landmark deal between the two giants in January 2024.

Audience Surge

According to data from VideoAmp, the episode drew an astounding average of 2.6 million households watching live in the United States, a staggering 116% increase compared to RAW's average audience of just 1.2 million households in 2024. Such numbers not only surpassed all previous broadcasts in the past five years but also reflected a renewed fervor among wrestling fans.

Social Media Buzz

Social media lit up with excitement as well. *#WWERaw* dominated trending topics, ranking as the #1 hashtag for 14 consecutive hours in the UK, while also taking over six of the top seven trending topics in the US. The fervent buzz escalated further with hashtags like *#RAWonNetflix* and *#WEnNetflix* trending across Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Spain, and more. WWE garnered a remarkable 223 million social views across various platforms on the day of the premiere, making it the most socially engaged episode of RAW in 2024.

Record-Breaking Event Sales

The event, hosted at the sold-out Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, broke records by generating the highest-grossing WWE arena event sales to date and set a new benchmark for merchandise sales, becoming the top non-Premium Live Event in WWE history.

Thrilling Matches and Legendary Appearances

Fans were treated to thrilling matches during this monumental evening: Rhea Ripley reclaimed the Women’s World Championship by defeating Liv Morgan, while Roman Reigns triumphed over Solo Sikoa in a highly charged tribal combat match. CM Punk's clash with Seth “Freakin” Rollins delivered on its promise of drama, and Jey Uso defeated Drew McIntyre in a hard-fought contest. The show also featured highly anticipated appearances from legends such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Undertaker, and John Cena, who officially kicked off his farewell tour, which is expected to be a prominent feature on Netflix in the coming year.

Future of WWE on Netflix

The partnership between WWE and Netflix isn't just limited to RAW. As the exclusive home for WWE content in territories including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Latin America, Netflix is now also the go-to platform for *SmackDown*, *NXT*, archival footage, and all major WWE Premium Live Events, including iconic shows like WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble.

Looking Ahead

This groundbreaking debut sets the stage for the future of wrestling entertainment and streaming, as WWE and Netflix join forces to bring fans even more exhilarating content. With these trends at play, it will be fascinating to see how this partnership evolves and what it means for the wrestling landscape moving forward. Will WWE continue to dominate the streaming scene? Only time will tell!