A recent episode of WWE RAW that aired on Netflix has caused frustration behind the scenes. The August 31 episode featured several violent backstage attacks. One segment showed Royce Keys and OTM leaving The Usos bloodied in a parking lot. Another attack involved Solo Sikoa. However, when the episode aired, Netflix had covered the blood with large pixelated blocks. The censorship did not go unnoticed by fans or by people within WWE.
According to reports, some members of WWE’s post-production department are unhappy with Netflix’s restrictions. They feel limited by the rules the streaming platform has put in place. WWE was aware that Netflix would have certain standards. The company knew that international broadcast rules would require some changes. One source described the feeling as being “handcuffed” by the platform’s requirements.
WWE’s response to the censorship was clear. The company decided to release the uncensored footage on social media. This decision was reportedly unanimous inside the organisation. Many felt that the blood and violence were necessary to the storyline. They wanted fans to see the segment as it was originally designed. Paul “Triple H” Levesque posted the unedited footage himself. Roman Reigns and The Usos also helped share the uncensored version online. The message from WWE was straightforward. The company wanted the real footage to be seen, regardless of what aired on Netflix.
There was also internal discussion about whether the angle should have been saved for a live episode. Some sources questioned if the company made a mistake by filming such a violent segment for a taped show. Because the episode was pre-recorded, Netflix had time to review and edit the footage before it reached viewers. If the episode had been broadcast live, Netflix would not have had the same opportunity to make changes. A live broadcast might have allowed fans to see the segment as WWE originally intended.
The censorship was not limited to blood. The broadcast also addressed profanity. Jacob Fatu shouted an expletive during the opening segment. His microphone was cut during the taping. The television version shortened the moment and bleeped the offensive word.
The August 31 episode made it clear that WWE and Netflix have different views on how much violence should be shown. Netflix chose to clean up the broadcast to meet international standards. WWE, on the other hand, made sure fans could still see the version it wanted to present. The situation has raised questions about how WWE should handle future episodes. Some wonder if bloodier storylines should be saved for live broadcasts.
WWE Raw on Netflix: The Complete History of the Streaming Era
The move of WWE Raw to Netflix began with a major announcement on January 23, 2024. They announced a major long-term partnership to move WWE Raw from traditional cable TV to Netflix starting in January 2025. Under this agreement, Netflix became the exclusive home for the show in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America.
The deal was a 10-year agreement valued at over five billion dollars. Netflix agreed to pay approximately 500 million dollars per year for the rights. The agreement also included a clause that allowed Netflix to opt out after five years or choose to extend for another ten years. TKO President Mark Shapiro described the deal as transformational. He noted that it combined WWE’s premium content with Netflix’s massive global reach.
After the announcement, preparations stretched over nearly a year. Raw continued airing on the USA Network until the end of 2024. WWE President Nick Khan revealed that WWE had approached Netflix as early as 2018. However, the streamer was not ready for live programming at that time. WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque stated that the team prepared heavily for the premiere. Their goal was to attract both new and existing audiences. In November 2024, WWE officially confirmed the date and venue for the historic premiere.
The historic premiere took place on January 6, 2025. The 1650th episode of Monday Night Raw aired live from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. This event officially kicked off the Netflix era. The show was described as a WrestleMania-level spectacle. Production involved approximately 120 to 200 staff members. The arena was packed with over 17,000 fans.
The premiere was a major success in terms of viewership. The show drew 4.9 million global viewers within 24 hours. In the United States, it averaged 2.6 million households. This represented an 116 per cent increase compared to Raw’s 2024 US average of 1.2 million households. It marked the show’s highest viewership in nearly five years. The show also performed well on social media. The hashtag ‘WWERaw’ became the number one trending topic on Twitter in the United States, Brazil, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
On January 5, 2026, WWE celebrated the one-year anniversary of Raw on Netflix. The special show took place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It featured a special crossover with the Stranger Things cast. In 2026, the partnership deepened further. Netflix expanded its WWE broadcasts to new regions, including Japan and South Korea. The full WWE historical library became available on Netflix in many more territories.
FAQs
Q. Why was blood censored on WWE Raw?
A. Netflix covered the blood to meet its broadcast standards.
Q. When did WWE Raw move to Netflix?
A. Raw moved to Netflix on January 6, 2025.
Q. How long is WWE’s Netflix deal?
A. The agreement is a 10-year deal worth over $5 billion.
Get the Latest WWE News at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
