WWE is making a huge deal about breaking onto Netflix, and they’re bringing some real firepower. That being said, the card for that January 6 episode may just include some WrestleMania worthy matches.
Fans are very excited, especially since the red brand’s Netflix jump has even spawned new Becky Lynch return hopes, but the talented roster in the company is also brimming with anticipation. WWE Raw’s upcoming move to Netflix has sparked conversations among WWE Superstars about some of those high profile matches that WWE has booked for the show.
During a recent appearance on the Battleground Podcast, Sami Zayn discussed WWE’s commitment to this debut. He revealed that two matches set for RAW’s big debut, CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa, could have been WrestleMania 41 matches.
“Well, just to give you a little bit of insight, I suppose, to the heaviness of just the two matches that you listed… I will tell you that I heard rumblings about both of those matches being WrestleMania matches. So the fact that they’re on the Netflix premiere tells you what a big deal this is,” he said.
“WWE, say what you will about them, they go all out when it’s time to go all out, and they’re going all out for this Netflix thing. I don’t know how it’s going to change the game, but it’s definitely going to be a game-changer.”
Sami Zayn also spoke about the shift from cable to streaming and WWE’s constant evolution. “For the first time ever, Raw is just not on conventional television,” Zayn said. He went on to hype some of the big things that fans can expect with RAW’s Netflix move.
“When you start to actually look at the numbers of people that have switched over from cable to streaming services, it’s actually kind of the majority, especially on a global level, right? So it’s going to be reaching more people than ever, and it’s hard to predict what that means.”
“In WWE, again, pulling the curtain back a tiny bit here, but I feel like you’re always saying, ‘Oh, just a crazy time right now.’ But then I realized a few years ago, I was like, ‘I’ve been saying that every year for the last eight years.’ It’s always a crazy time, just a mix of some crazy new transition to some new big things. I just don’t even know what to expect, but it is a particularly crazy time with us moving to Netflix and all this stuff.”
We already know that Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa are set to do battle in a Tribal Combat match during the first RAW on Netflix. That January 6 episode may also include The Rock’s return, but it seems that anything is on the table. Of course, CM Punk vs Seth Rollins was actually slated for WrestleMania 40 prior to Punk’s injury that derailed those plans.
WWE will also get a chance to present RAW in an uncensored setting on Netflix. That may bring some very interesting segments, especially if The Rock decides to go on another F-bomb filled rant backstage during a beatdown. The show will be three hours as well, and they will go live wherever and whenever WWE films the red brand’s weekly show.
Obviously, WWE has a ton of options when they bring RAW to Netflix. This promotional blitz will be well worth it, and some huge matchups are likely to come with it.
