WWE Raw's Post-Survivor Series Episode Bombs on Netflix – Is the Wrestling Giant Losing Its Streaming Spark?
Imagine the excitement of a major WWE event like Survivor Series wrapping up with a cliffhanger mystery man reveal, only for the follow-up Raw show to fizzle out in the ratings. That's the reality we're facing here, and it's got fans scratching their heads about whether WWE's bold move to Netflix is paying off as hoped. But let's dive into the latest data and see if there's more to the story – and yes, this is where things get a bit tricky for wrestling enthusiasts worldwide.
When it comes to tracking how WWE Raw performs on Netflix, our best source of information comes straight from the streaming platform itself through their Tudum website. Tudum is Netflix's dedicated hub for all things entertainment stats, and it publishes weekly rankings of the top shows based on viewership numbers. To keep it simple for beginners: they calculate these 'views' by taking the total time all subscribers worldwide spent watching a program and dividing it by the show's runtime. It's a smart way to measure real engagement, not just who starts watching. The default view is a global top 10 list, complete with the actual numbers behind each ranking – which is why we rely on this for solid insights. You can also check out rankings by country (just a list, no numbers there), or separate top 10s for English-language shows, non-English ones, and even movies. It's like a treasure trove of data for anyone curious about what's hot on Netflix.
The Raw episode we're analyzing today aired live from Glendale, Arizona on December 1st, hitting screens Monday evening for U.S. viewers first. It was the immediate aftermath of Survivor Series, building on that tantalizing 'mystery man' twist that left fans buzzing. Plus, it showcased the semi-finals of the Last Time Is Now Tournament, deciding John Cena's final opponent in a high-stakes clash. For context, tournaments like this in WWE are intense competitions where wrestlers battle it out to earn a shot at a big name – think of it as a playoff system that ramps up excitement for major matches.
Sadly, for the second week running, Raw didn't crack Netflix's Global Top 10, meaning we don't have the exact view count. But we can infer it was below 4.6 million views, since that's what the #10 spot (held by Matt Rife: Unwrapped - A Christmas Crowd Work Special) achieved. To put that in perspective, the only Raw premiere that ever surpassed the 4 million mark was the very first one, back in January 2025. In the United States specifically, it held steady at 9th place, just like the previous week – no big shifts there either.
Leading the global charts for the week of December 1-7 was the latest batch of Stranger Things episodes, racking up a whopping 23.6 million views and proving why sci-fi thrillers with time-bending mysteries keep drawing crowds. Not far behind in second was the docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, with 21.8 million views, while earlier seasons of Stranger Things (2 through 4) also made the top 10. It's fascinating how nostalgic reboots and investigative stories can dominate streaming conversations, often overshadowing other genres.
And here's the part most people miss – while Netflix tracks a full week's worth of viewing data, some fans still tune in live for that traditional TV experience. We always glance at Monday Night Football ratings to see if rival programming might be stealing the spotlight. Even though the game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots wasn't a standout (thanks to those big fanbases keeping it afloat), ESPN reported over 12 million viewers and a solid 3.27 rating among 18-49-year-olds for the Patriots' victory. It makes you wonder: in an era of on-demand streaming, is live TV still a powerful competitor, or is WWE missing out by not adapting its appeal?
We'll continue monitoring Raw's numbers right here, updating whenever it re-enters the global top 10. Every piece of data we gather gets added to our ongoing summary of Raw's Tudum-reported performance during its Netflix era – here's the full rundown so far for easy reference:
- January 6, 2025: 5.9 million views, ranking 4th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- January 13: 3.7 million views, 4th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- January 20: 3.0 million views, 7th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- January 27: 2.9 million views, 9th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- February 3: 3.1 million views, 7th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- February 10: 2.8 million views, 8th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- February 17: 2.8 million views, 10th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- February 24: 2.6 million views, 8th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- March 3: 3.1 million views, 7th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- March 10: 3 million views, 6th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- March 17: 3.1 million views, 4th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- March 24: 3 million views, 4th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- March 31: 2.9 million views, 8th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- April 7: 2.8 million views, 10th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- April 14: 2.9 million views, 9th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- April 21: 3.6 million views, 5th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- April 28: 3 million views, 4th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- May 5: 2.8 million views, 4th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- May 12: 2.7 million views, 8th globally and 7th in the U.S.
- May 19: 2.7 million views, 9th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- May 26: 2.6 million views, 6th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- June 2: 2.7 million views, 8th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- June 9: 2.9 million views, 7th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- June 16: 2.7 million views, 9th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- June 23: 2.6 million views, 4th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- June 30: 2.5 million views, 5th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- July 7: 2.6 million views, 6th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- July 14: 2.7 million views, 5th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- July 21: 2.7 million views, 5th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- July 28: 2.7 million views, 8th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- August 4: 3 million views, 5th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- August 11: 2.8 million views, 6th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- August 18: 2.8 million views, 7th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- August 25: 2.6 million views, 6th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- September 1: 2.4 million views, 8th globally and 5th in the U.S.
- September 8: 2.6 million views, 8th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- September 15: 2.6 million views, 7th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- September 22: 2.3 million views, 8th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- September 29: 2.3 million views, 8th globally and 7th in the U.S.
- October 6: 2.4 million views, 9th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- October 13: 2.4 million views, 8th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- October 20: 2.6 million views, 6th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- October 27: 2.3 million views, 8th globally and 4th in the U.S.
- November 3: 2.4 million views, 9th globally and 6th in the U.S.
- November 10: 2.8 million views, 7th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- November 17: 3.1 million views, 6th globally and 3rd in the U.S.
- November 24: Unknown total views; did not rank globally, 9th in the U.S.
- December 1: Unknown total views; did not rank globally, 9th in the U.S.
But here's where it gets controversial – some might argue that WWE's shift to Netflix is innovative, bringing wrestling to a new audience without cable TV hassles. Others could counter that it's watering down the live event thrill, with on-demand viewing potentially fracturing fan communities. Is Netflix the right home for WWE, or should they return to traditional networks for bigger ratings? What do you think – does this dip signal a need for fresh storylines, or is it just part of the streaming learning curve? Share your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you agree, disagree, or have your own take on WWE's streaming saga!
