WWE has released the cold open for tonight’s Raw on Netflix debut.
The three-minute video is narrated by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who tells the story of wrestling’s growth through television and now streaming.
Levesque said:
“It’s as real as our ancient yearning. Not merely for a hero, but the villain as well. Just as they need each other, so do you need them to tell a story. But what of the story of wrestling itself? What if the canvas could speak of an ageless carnival with primeval roots, but came of age with that most American of institutions, television. As television changed, so did wrestling. And together they changed America. Truth is, a great swath of American culture is born of that eternal battle between the face and the heel. From ecstasy to humiliation. Fame to obscurity, and back again. An endless cycle that changed the rules and blurred the lines, made it harder to distinguish the good guys from the bad, the shoot from the work, the real from the unreal. Because wrestling’s greatest stories, every damn one, has that element of truth. The screens get smaller, but the show gets bigger. Global, from television to streaming, America to the world. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the all real, ever fantastic, never to end, story of WWE.”
WWE is treating tonight’s Raw on Netflix as a WrestleMania-calibre event, and many legends of the company’s past are expected to appear.
The Rock announced via social media yesterday that he will be at tonight’s show. Dave Meltzer is reporting that Hulk Hogan is scheduled to be at the event as well. Hogan’s Real American Beer and WWE also announced a partnership today that will see the Real American Beer logo on the Raw ring mats near the turnbuckles.
WrestleVotes is reporting that tonight’s show could run in excess of 3.5 hours, writing, “Sources indicate that, as of this morning, RAW is slated to run 3.5 hours tonight. While minor adjustments are possible, expect the show to fall within that range.”
WWE Raw on Netflix debut show lineup:
- The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. ??? & Rey Mysterio
- Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso
- WWE Women’s World Title
Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley - Tribal Combat Match
Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa - CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins