WWE Raw hit a new low on Netflix following its September 22 release, losing 300,000 views from just a week prior.
In the week of September 22–28, 2025, the show recorded 2,300,000 global views within 7 days and 4,500,000 total hours watched — among the weakest numbers since Raw began streaming on the platform.
In the global Netflix rankings that week, Raw landed at #8 among English-language shows, while in the U.S. it ranked #4. These numbers show a significant cooling of viewer demand, especially considering the hype WWE brought to Netflix when it first made the show available via streaming.
For comparison, the last couple of weeks prior to Sept. 22, Raw has been averaging 2.6M views, in August had a week that hit 3M views, and in July averaged around 2.7M views. Its January debut racked up 4.9M views.
What’s going on?
When Raw first transitioned to a Netflix stream model, WWE was banking on expanded reach and guaranteed exposure. But now, a dip in viewership puts pressure on the company to justify the streaming model and reevaluate content strategy.
Several factors may be contributing to the viewership decline:
Backlash fatigue
WWE is already battling backlash over ticket price hikes (the cheapest Wrestlemania 42 ticket on Ticketmaster is about $600), Saudi Arabia deals (Eric Bischoff fired back), and controversial booking decisions (like Lesnar’s treatment of Cena).
Saturation & competition
As more streaming options proliferate, maintaining attention for weekly wrestling shows is getting harder, especially considering the move to ESPN, which is more costly than Peacock. The NFL has also returned, which seems bigger than ever, led by its own superstars, including Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Viewer dissatisfaction
The fanbase has voiced frustration with creative choices, especially those that appear to undermine marquee names or compromise the integrity of storylines, as fans have complained about minor changes week-to-week.
What’s next?
It will be interesting to see if WWE Raw rebounds on Netflix for the week of September 29, which saw the NFL release one its weakest schedules. Is the Raw viewership dip short-lived or here to stay? More worrisome is if it continues to decline.
