Monday Night Raw has been WWE’s flagship show for over three decades. The company expanded WWE Raw into a 3-hour show in July 2012, which received mixed responses over the last 633 weeks. However, during this week’s edition of Raw, WWE announced that the Red brand would move back to 2 hours for the remainder of 2024, starting from October 7.
With WWE Raw moving to Netflix in January 2025, the change could be a trial run to measure the performance. Wrestling fans have been critical of the show’s length for a while, and this change has been a long time coming.
The change will take effect from the October 7, 2024, episode of WWE Raw and will continue until the USA Network finale on December 30.
What Changes To Expect On WWE Raw In Netflix?
TKO Inc. announced Netflix would acquire the rights to telecast WWE Raw from January 2025. It’s part of a 10-year deal worth $500 Million per year and is double the value of WWE’s current agreement with NBCUniversal.
WWE’s original deal with NBCUniversal ends in October 2024, which would’ve left a 3-month gap before WWE Raw moves to Netflix. However, WWE and NBCUniversal agreed to a deal to keep Raw on the USA Network until the year-end.
The move to Netflix could mark the end of the PG Era in WWE as fans expect the company to produce edgier content similar to the Attitude Era. However, SmackDown on the USA Network might continue to be more family-friendly.
The Netflix Era will see Michael Cole and Pat McAfee replace Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore as the new announce team on Raw.
The first episode of WWE Raw on Netflix will also feature the return of John Cena, who will kick-start his year-long retirement tour.
Also, multiple reports state that Netflix wants either Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes on Raw when the change occurs. With Roman Reigns going into a Bloodline Civil War storyline, which could take several months to culminate, it’s possible that Cody Rhodes could be the one to move to Raw in 2025.
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