The first episode of WWE Raw following the 2026 Royal Rumble made a significant impact on Netflix, attracting over 3 million viewers within its first week. This episode featured Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns officially challenging World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk for the headline match at WrestleMania 42.
According to Wrestlenomics, the February 2 broadcast of Raw gathered 3.1 million viewers worldwide over seven days and was streamed for a total of 5.8 million hours on Netflix. Before this, the most recent viewership figures available were for the January 19 episode, which had 2.5 million viewers. The last time Raw surpassed 3 million views was on January 5, a special episode celebrating Raw’s one-year anniversary on the streaming platform.
Globally, the show ranked sixth among all English-language streaming programs for the week, and it placed fifth in the United States. However, Raw trailed behind popular series like Bridgerton Season 4, The Lincoln Lawyer, HIS & HERS, and Is It Cake? Valentine.
Besides the main event featuring Punk versus Reigns, the February 2 episode showcased Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquel defending her title in a street fight against Raquel Rodriguez in Philadelphia. Additionally, Brie Bella returned alongside her sister after coming back to WWE at the Women’s Royal Rumble, and Oba Femi appeared poised to take on both members of the War Raiders.
Fan Take: This strong viewership surge signals that WWE Raw continues to captivate its audience, especially with major storyline developments like Punk vs. Reigns heading into WrestleMania 42. For fans, it means the sport is maintaining its momentum on streaming platforms—opening new doors for accessibility and global reach that could redefine wrestling’s popularity in the years ahead.
