WWE Raw faced major backlash following its Stranger Things-themed episode that aired January 5, 2026, marking the one-year anniversary of Raw’s move to Netflix.
What was promoted as a major milestone show instead left many fans frustrated, disappointed, and openly hostile online.
The episode aired live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and leaned heavily into cross-promotion with Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 5, which had wrapped its finale just days earlier.
While the card featured multiple title matches and notable moments, the execution sparked widespread criticism.
Couldn't get a single Stranger Things cast member to even attend their show and instead open Raw with Michael Cole struggling to exit a van then tell everyone how old he is.
— Stephen JKD (@theStephenJKD) January 6, 2026
The entire WWE creative department needs to be cleared out —embarrassingly awful.pic.twitter.com/3ueqLxfjkk https://t.co/f2zCmvQA9a
Why Fans Are Blasting WWE Raw
The dominant complaint was excessive promotion. Viewers and reviewers accused WWE of turning Raw into what many called a two-and-a-half-hour advertisement for Stranger Things.
Themed graphics, repeated references, and constant branding overwhelmed the wrestling itself. Wrestling Inc.’s review noted that the promotion actively detracted from an otherwise decent match lineup.
Pacing issues made things worse. Frequent commercial breaks disrupted momentum, and several outcomes felt obvious well before they happened.
Raw is genuinely unwatchable. I do not know who made the decision to put all the commercials DURING the matches but they should not have a job. It’s the single worst production decision of any TV product I’ve ever watched.
— F-TAY-R BALD (@tayredacted) January 6, 2026
The main event, which saw CM Punk retain the World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker, was widely viewed as slow and predictable despite strong moments.
Fans were also annoyed that segments like Je’Von Evans signing a Raw contract happened during commercial breaks, making them feel unimportant.
Y'all can't even show this instead of having a million commercials? The future 336 legend deserves better than this.
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) January 6, 2026
The show was billed as a loaded anniversary episode, but many felt it failed to deliver.
There were teases of surprises and speculation about potential appearances, including chatter around Chris Jericho, but nothing materialized.
Crowd energy felt flat for long stretches, and there was little sense of celebration for Raw’s Netflix milestone.
Apparently, a Stranger Things “themed episode” of Raw means no cast members from the show are there and there’s just a bunch of props laying around everywhere.
— Brian R. Solomon (@BrianRSolomon) January 6, 2026
Fan Reaction Turns Brutal
Reaction on X was harsh almost immediately.
Fans labeled the episode “the worst Raw ever,” “boring,” and a “sh-t show.”
I respect SmackDown more than RAW. SmackDown will tell you to your face this is gonna be a shit show if you watch it it’s on you whereas RAW will lie to your face by creating hype for their show just for it to be mid.
— Jay 𖤐 (@Jwrasslintakes) January 6, 2026
Others complained about too much talking, weak match pacing, and poor booking decisions.
A frequent criticism was that WWE oversold the Stranger Things crossover without involving any cast members, making the tie-in feel hollow.
TONIGHTS RAW 🔥 🔥🔥
— Wrestle Featres (@WrestleFeatres) January 6, 2026
• Promoted more Stranger Things BEFORE the show than DURING 🔥
• WOW, CHAPTER NAMES HOW COOL (!) 😍
• Shit show
• Borefest
• Made Maxxine drop the title.
• Overbooked asf main event.
Welcome to a new era… OF EVEN MORE SHIT. 🔥
Triple Hitler… pic.twitter.com/8hpBoRe0tt
What Actually Happened on the Show
Despite the backlash, the episode did include notable in-ring developments. CM Punk retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker in the main event. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky won the Women’s Tag Team Titles, and a new Women’s Intercontinental Champion was crowned. Liv Morgan also made her in-ring return.
Those moments, however, were largely overshadowed by frustration with the presentation and corporate synergy.
PUNK RETAINS! 🏆@CMPunk is STILL World Heavyweight Champion! pic.twitter.com/69Mk2U1R6e
— WWE (@WWE) January 6, 2026
A Missed Opportunity
While parts of Punk vs. Breakker earned praise, the overall consensus is that WWE sacrificed the anniversary feel in favor of aggressive brand promotion.
Expectations were high for Raw’s Netflix milestone episode. For many fans, the result felt flat, overproduced, and forgettable.
For viewers catching up on Netflix, this was supposed to feel like a big moment for WWE’s future on streaming.
Instead, it’s being remembered as a warning sign of how far corporate crossover can go before it turns fans against the product.
A jacked and athletic freak in his 20's who's twice as strong, just lost to 50 year old CM Punk who's out of shape with grey hairs.
— Light (@Lightshiner14) January 6, 2026
