The WWE entered unprecedented territory last night when Raw, the longtime flagship show of the publicly-traded corporation, made its debut on Netflix. In a move that truly globalizes the product to a level never before seen, the streaming platform broadcasted the landmark episode live throughout the vast majority of the civilized world.
In signature WWE style, there was all the pomp and circumstance that you’d expect to go along with the $5 billion dollar deal that took the program from its traditional cable spot to behind the Netflix paywall. With the executives front row, there was quite literally the pyro and ballyhoo to maximize the atmosphere of the new era of the WWE.
The show opened with an absolutely incredible video package narrated by Triple H, which was another example of how unmatched the WWE production value truly is, especially for these major shows. In a reflection of the episode itself, this sold the sizzle, not the substance, which is completely fine, as that was the designed nature of the broadcast. Of course, you simply can’t have Wrestlemania-type matches 52 weeks a year, but still, the debut edition of Raw on Netflix could give an indication of the overall direction of the brand going forward, particularly with the build to Wrestlemania this year, which will be held Easter weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The first segment saw The Rock cut a basic, but effective promo, and it’s probably a good thing that he didn’t let himself ramble on with anything that went beyond the 10-minute mark as far as mic time. However, it should be noted that The Rock praised Cody Rhodes, who he feuded with prior to WM last year so unless they are dropping what could’ve been a money match, it was a little odd that any of the previous hostility was essentially ignored. The Rock’s reemergence on the WWE scene with his appointment to the TKO board last year was a good PR move, as the company looked to distance itself in every way possible from Vince McMahon, but it’s also been a good decision for Dwayne Johnson as well. This isn’t meant as a knock, but his films haven’t done quite as well at the box office and a few were panned by critics in recent years. That’s not to say that he’s not still a mega star in Hollywood, every career, especially in the movie business, has some peaks and valleys. The Rock brings an added sizzle to the WWE product, and at the same time, it puts the real-life Dwayne Johnson in an environment where he looks like a bigger star so it becomes a win-win situation for everyone.
Considering his age, if The Rock has more matches planned, I’d guess that they’d have to take place sooner rather than later. If he isn’t on the card for Wrestlemania in Las Vegas, I simply don’t see him delaying any of the potential marquee matches for a few years. If the WWE is going to promote The Rock vs. Cody, or The Rock vs. Roman Reigns in a Samoan showdown, it would probably have to been within the next year or two. Interestingly, when the first match on the card saw Reigns beat Solo Sikoa to win the acknowledgement as the only tribal chief, when it looked like there could be a post-match heel turn by The Rock on Roman, which could’ve been a way to use their tag team defeat at WM last year to build toward this year’s event, The Rock simply stood in the ring as Reigns celebrated. As far as the match itself, it was a solid segment, it might not have been a Tokyo Dome spot fest, but it was very well done from a story telling perspective. I could be wrong, but for some reason, I’d still guess that The Rock vs. Roman will happen at Wrestlemania. I think Jacob Fatu/Reigns could be a stellar match at the biggest show of the year, but Fatu is still relatively new to the WWE landscape, and The Rock is obviously the bigger money match.
Hulk Hogan made a brief appearance to cut a promo and was more or less booed out of the building. Some will claim this had to do with his political affiliation with the orange villain, but The Undertaker endorsed Trump and still received a positive crowd reaction based on his legendary status. Some might make the case that everyone deserves a second chance, but it’s important to keep in mind that Hulk had a reputation as a jerk long before the infamous Gawker tape revealed that he said several racial slurs and derogatory comments. The difference is that there are a slew of podcasts to tell those stories on a more public basis, they aren’t just in the dirt sheets or on shoot interview VHS tapes for a niche audience like they were in the past. Furthermore, it’s also much easier for Hogan’s track record of exaggerated claims and outright lies to be debunked with modern technology.
The Hulkster was there to announce that his “Real American Beer” had signed a sponsorship deal with the WWE. As aloof and obtuse as the entire brand is, Hogan jumped on the Trump train for the same reason that the convicted felon joined the political game, it’s relatively easy money. Keep in mind, political donations are counted by the tens of millions of dollars. Not to mention the merchandise and the stock scams that go along with the marketing tagline to “save America.” Terry Bolea saw that there was hefty cash to be made on the notion of “patriotism” and wanted to make sure he got a piece of the piece. Sure, it’s insincere and it’s scummy, but from purely a business perspective, it’s a smart move. The Hulkster will gleefully collect some money from the purchases of “Real American” beer, which will be bought from the same local yokels that still think coal is going to make a comeback and that the wall is going to be built.
Don’t get too riled up, though. Remember, politics are more of a work than pro wrestling, and it’s more profitable, too.
However, sponsorships have increased drastically after the merger with the UFC last year, and they played a very key role in the overall presentation of the first episode of the Netflix era. The canvas had a slew of logos on it, which is completely fine. While I understand why Vince didn’t want the mat to look like a billboard, the bottom line is, it’s a way to make even more money, and when the company is publicly-traded, there’s a responsibility to the stockholders to maximize revenue. I also understand why the organization used the black canvas, as it gave more of a sports-based visual, but it was almost too dark overall so hopefully the color scheme can be tweaked going forward.
Rhea Ripley defeated Liv Morgan to win the Women’s championship, and it made sense to book the title switch on this show to have as many noteworthy results as possible. Liv did a good job as champion, but I think it’s time for both competitors to move onto a new feud, especially with the previously mentioned Wrestlemania on the horizon, with Ripley’s opponent probably being determined at The Royal Rumble in a few weeks. The Undertaker cameo after the match was fun, and it was a cool moment to give Ripley the endorsement from the legend to conclude the segment.
The main event was CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins, another bout that could’ve taken place, and probably will still take place, at Wrestlemania. The match was fine, it wasn’t subpar or anything, but I got the impression that they were saving some dramatic in-ring scenarios for a bigger stage. Unless, Punk is going to challenge for a championship in the main event, there seems to be too much meat left on the bone for the Rollins/Punk rivalry to wrap up on Raw. Furthermore, during the John Cena cameo, he said that he will enter The Royal Rumble, and the narrative of him breaking the recognized championship record during his retirement tour is almost too good of an opportunity to pass up for the company because it would maximize his final run.
One of the other major takeaways from this show was that the term “wrestling,” a word that was once banned under Vince McMahon, was used often. Truth be told, while I understand why the sports entertainment tagline would be used for marketing purposes and sponsorships, it always seemed silly that McMahon tried to avoid “wrestling” being said on a pro wrestling show. The video packages of the spectacle of sports entertainment definitely make sense, but nobody has ever said they bought a ticket to go to the “sports entertainment matches.” Obviously, this is just one episode, but it certainly looks like management has some major plans for the product this year.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
