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{{short description|Professional wrestling television program}} | |||
{{For|the 2002 ] and ] video game based on this show|WWE Raw (video game)}} | |||
{{For|the WWE brand featured on the program|Raw (WWE brand)}} | |||
{{About|1=the ] show|2=the 1994 ] ] based on this show|3=WWF Raw (video game)}} | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}} | |||
{{Infobox television | {{Infobox television | ||
| image = WWE RAW Logo 2025.svg | |||
|show_name=WWE Raw | |||
| image_alt = 200 | |||
|image=] | |||
| caption = ''WWE Raw'' logo since January 6, 2025 | |||
|creator=] | |||
| |
| genre = ] | ||
| creator = ] | |||
|picture_format=] (]),<br/>] (])<ref>{{cite web|title=USA Network FAQ's|url=http://www.usanetwork.com/feedback/|publisher=USA Network|accessdate=2008-01-21}}</ref> | |||
| writer = {{Plain list| | |||
|camera=] | |||
*Jonathan Baeckstrom <small>(Lead Writer)</small> | |||
|runtime=Approximately 2 hours 5 minutes per episode<br/>(1 hour 35 minutes and commercials) | |||
*''See list of ]'' | |||
|starring=] | |||
}} | |||
|country={{USA}} | |||
| presenter = {{Plain list| | |||
|location= | |||
* ] {{small|(play-by-play commentator)}} | |||
|network=<!-- International broadcasts should not be included here as per ] -->] (1993 – 2000, 2005 – Present),<br/>] (2000 – 2005) | |||
* ] {{small|(color commentator)}} | |||
|first_aired=January 11, 1993<ref name="bostonheralddebut">{{cite web|url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/67867936.html?dids=67867936:67867936&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+10,+1993&author=CLIFF+DUCEY&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=INSIDE+WRESTLING+WCW+shows+aFlair+for+the+dramatic&pqatl=google|title=Inside Wrestling WCW shows aFlair for the dramatic| publisher=]|first=Cliff|last=Ducey|date=1993-01-10|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
}} | |||
|last_aired=Present | |||
| starring = ] | |||
|num_episodes=857 (as of October 26, 2009)<!--Do not change the episode number until after the show has aired.--> | |||
|opentheme |
| opentheme = "4X4" by ] (from January 6, 2025) | ||
| composer = | |||
|related='']''<br />'']''<br />'']'' | |||
| language = | |||
|website=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/ | |||
| country = United States | |||
|}} | |||
| num_seasons = 32 | |||
| num_episodes = {{#expr:1622 + {{age in weeks|June 24, 2024}}}}<!--Please do not alter this, it updates automatically!--> | |||
| list_episodes = | |||
| alt_name = ''Raw is War'' (1997–2001)<ref>{{cite web |title=WWE Entertainment's RAW IS WAR Delivers Highest Rating of the Season |url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2000/12-13-2000 |website=WWE Corporate |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415193935/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2000/12-13-2000 |archive-date=April 15, 2020 |language=en |date=December 13, 2000 |quote=WWE Entertainment’s (NYSE: WWE) RAW IS WAR, already the highest rated regularly scheduled program on cable television, achieved its highest rating of the season this past Monday night on The National Network (TNN).}}</ref><br />''Raw SuperShow'' (2011–2012)<ref>{{cite web |title=Raw: August 29, 2011 |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-08-29 |website=] |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016155711/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-08-29 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |language=en |date= August 29, 2011 |quote=Not only did WWE’s Chief Operating Officer figure prominently throughout the first ever Raw SuperShow, combining Superstars from both Raw and SmackDown, he also informed one Superstar that he’ll be hanging up the suit and tie to square off in three weeks at Night of Champions.}}</ref> | |||
| executive_producer = ]<br>Lee Fitting | |||
| camera = ] | |||
| runtime = {{plainlist| | |||
* 60 minutes (January 11, 1993–January 27, 1997) | |||
* 120 minutes (February 3, 1997–July 16, 2012, October 7–December 30, 2024) | |||
* 180 minutes (July 23, 2012–September 30, 2024) | |||
* Flexible (from January 6, 2025) (including commercials) | |||
}} | |||
| company = ] | |||
| network = ] | |||
| first_aired = {{Start date|1993|01|11}} | |||
| last_aired = {{End date|2000|09|18}} | |||
| network2 = ] | |||
| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2000|09|25}} | |||
| last_aired2 = {{End date|2005|09|26}} | |||
| network3 = ] | |||
| first_aired3 = {{Start date|2005|10|3}} | |||
| last_aired3 = {{End date|2024|12|30}} | |||
| network4 = ] | |||
| first_aired4 = {{Start date|2025|01|06}} | |||
| last_aired4 = present | |||
| related = {{Plain list| | |||
* '']'' | |||
* '']'' | |||
* '']'' | |||
* '']''}} | |||
}} | |||
'''''WWE Raw''''', also known as '''''Monday Night Raw''''' or simply '''''Raw''''', is an American ] television program produced by ]. It currently airs ] every Monday at 8 p.m. ] (ET) on ]. The show features characters from the ] ], to which WWE wrestlers are assigned to work and perform. It debuted on January 11, 1993, and is considered to be one of WWE's two flagship programs, along with '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/nxt-moves-to-usa-network|title=NXT moves to USA Network|website=WWE|language=en|access-date=2019-08-22|archive-date=August 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820225413/https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/nxt-moves-to-usa-network|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Since its first episode, ''Raw'' has been broadcast live from 209 different arenas, 172 cities and towns, and eleven different nations, mostly in the United States; ''Raw'' shows have also been broadcast and taped in Canada, Germany,<ref>{{cite web |author=Axel Saalbach |title=Wrestlingdata.com – The World's Largest Wrestling Database |url=http://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=26282 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023090049/https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=26282 |archive-date=October 23, 2018 |access-date=April 11, 2013 |work=wrestlingdata.com}}</ref> Italy,<ref>{{cite web |title=April 16, 2008 RAW results, from Wrestleview.com |url=http://www.wrestleview.com/results/raw/raw2006/1176781825.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510005938/http://www.wrestleview.com/results/raw/raw2006/1176781825.shtml |archive-date=May 10, 2017 |access-date=April 11, 2013 |work=wrestleview.com}}</ref> Japan,<ref>{{cite web |title=Online World of Wrestling |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050207.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625091147/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050207.html |archive-date=June 25, 2018 |access-date=April 11, 2013 |work=onlineworldofwrestling.com}}</ref> Mexico,<ref>{{cite web |title=WWE Raw SuperShow results: Mexican standoff |url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-10-17/results |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023034812/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2011-10-17/results |archive-date=October 23, 2018 |access-date=April 11, 2013 |work=WWE}}</ref> Saudi Arabia,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tedesco |first=Mike |date=2024-11-05 |title=WWE Raw Results - 11/4/24 (First Raw from Saudi Arabia, No. 1 Contenders Fatal 4-Way Match) |url=https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-raw-results/332719-live-wwe-raw-results-november-4-2024-riyadh/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=WWE News, WWE Results, AEW News, AEW Results |language=en-US}}</ref> South Africa,<ref>{{cite web |author=Axel Saalbach |title=Wrestlingdata.com – The World's Largest Wrestling Database |url=http://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=26310 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327130336/https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=26310 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |access-date=April 11, 2013 |work=wrestlingdata.com}}</ref> and the United Kingdom, as well as Afghanistan and Iraq as part of ]. | |||
'''''WWE Raw''''' is a ] ] for ] (WWE) that currently airs on the ] in the ]. The show's name, which is sometimes stylized as ''RAW'',<ref>{{cite web|url= http://corporate.wwe.com/parents/tvshows.jsp|title=WWE TV Shows|work=WWE Corporate|publisher=]| accessdate=2009-07-20}}</ref> is also used to refer to the Raw brand, in which WWE employees are assigned to work and perform on that program; the other programs and brands are ] and ]. It is the only television broadcast for the Raw brand. The show originally debuted in the United States on the USA Network on January 11, 1993.<ref name="bostonheralddebut"/> It remained there until 2000, when ''Raw'' was moved to ], later known as ].<ref name="Raw to TNN">{{cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-28309656_ITM|title=WWF Raw Is War to Premiere on TNN September 25|publisher=]|date=2000-09-20| accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> In 2005, the show was moved back to the USA Network.<ref name="Raw Returns">{{cite web|url= http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2005_04_04a.jsp|title=WWE's RAW Returns to USA Network|publisher=]| date=2005-05-04|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> Since its launch in 1993, ''Raw'' continues to air on Monday nights. ''Raw'' is generally seen as the company's flagship program due to its longer history, higher ratings, and emphasis on pay-per-views.<ref name="p52HistoryofWWE">{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=52| accessdate=2009-07-16}}</ref> It is the longest running weekly episodic television show in history.<ref name="WWE Raw Overview">{{Cite web|url=http://adsales.wwe.com/about/tv/|title=WWE Raw Overview|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
Debuting on the ] ], ''Raw'' moved in September 2000 to TNN,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2000/09-27-2000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416032353/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2000/09-27-2000 |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |title=WWE Entertainment, Inc. Revises Full Year Revenue and EBITDA Estimates for Fiscal Year |work=] |date=September 27, 2000 |access-date= September 5, 2014}}</ref> which rebranded to ] in August 2003. On October 3, 2005, ''Raw'' returned to USA Network, where it remained until January 6, 2025, when it moved to the ] ], which is scheduled to broadcast the program for a period of at least 10 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/01/23/tko-ceo-ari-emanuel-netflix-deal-strengthens-the-wwe-brand-on-a-global-basis.html|title=TKO CEO Ari Emanuel: Netflix deal strengthens the WWE brand 'on a global basis'|publisher=CNBC|date=January 23, 2024|accessdate=January 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizasialive.com/wwe-set-for-move-on-netflix-in-january-2025|title=WWE set for move on Netflix in January 2025|publisher=BizAsia|date=November 28, 2024|accessdate=November 29, 2024}}</ref> The company's own ] ceased operations in the United States on April 5, 2021, with all content being moved to ], which had most previous ''Raw'' episodes until the transition to Netflix in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |author=Alfred Konuwa |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2021/03/29/wwe-network-content-continues-to-be-censored-ahead-of-move-to-peacock/ |title=WWE Network Content Continues To Be Censored Ahead Of Move To Peacock |work=Forbes.com |date=2021-03-29 |accessdate=2022-02-26 |archive-date=April 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424174934/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2021/03/29/wwe-network-content-continues-to-be-censored-ahead-of-move-to-peacock/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Raw'' has also been broadcast globally on other networks since it first began. | |||
==Show history== | |||
===Original format=== | |||
Beginning as ''WWF Monday Night Raw'', the program first aired on January 11, 1993 on the ] for one hour.<ref name="p52HistoryofWWE"/> Out of all of the wrestlers that were featured, only two are still employed in WWE: ] and ]. The original ''Raw'' broke new ground in televised professional wrestling. Traditionally, wrestling shows were taped on sound stages with small audiences or at large arena shows. The ''Raw'' formula was very different than that of its predecessor, '']''. Instead of taped matches, with studio voice overs and taped chat, ''Raw'' was a show shot to a live audience, with angles as they happened. The first episode featured ] defeating ], ] defeating The Executioners, ] Shawn Michaels defeating ] and The Undertaker defeating ]. The show also featured an interview with ].<ref name=hsitoryofwwe1993>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/raw93.htm|title=WWF / WWE Raw (1993-Present)|accessdate=2009-06-13|publisher=The History of the WWE}}</ref> | |||
== History == | |||
] (left) and ] on the very first episode of ''Monday Night Raw''.]] | |||
{{main|History of WWE Raw}} | |||
''Raw'' originated from the ], a small ] theater and aired live each week. The combination of an intimate venue and live action proved highly successful. However, the weekly live schedule proved to be a financial drain on the WWF, and taped shows began airing every other week. From early 1994 to September 1999, ''Raw'' was shown live on one Monday and then the next day (Tuesday) next Monday's ''Raw'' was taped. This meant that ''Raw'' was live one week and taped the next. | |||
=== Early years === | |||
The storylines and ] during the early years of ''Raw'' still had a healthy dose of the old Federation "]" style. For instance, there were moments such as ] tearing up ]'s headdress, the various "Undertaker sightings" (during the Undertaker vs. Undertaker storyline, leading up to ]); and characters like ], ], or ]. | |||
] | |||
] | |||
Beginning as WWF's ''Monday Night Raw,'' the program first aired on January 11, 1993, on the ] as a replacement for '']'', which aired on the network for eight years. The original ''Raw'' was sixty minutes in length and broke new ground in televised professional wrestling. Traditionally, wrestling shows were pre-taped on sound stages with small audiences or at large arena shows. The ''Raw'' formula was considerably different from the pre-taped weekend shows that aired at the time such as '']'' and '']''. Instead of matches taped weeks in advance with studio voice overs and taped discussion, ''Raw'' was a show shot and aired to a live audience, with angles and matches playing out as they happened. | |||
''Raw'' originated from the ], a small ] theater, and aired live each week. The combination of an intimate venue and live action proved to be a successful improvement. However, the weekly live schedule proved to be a financial drain on the WWF. From spring 1993 until spring 1997, ''Raw'' would tape several week's worth of episodes after a live episode had aired. The WWF taped several weeks worth of ''Raw'' from the ] in ], ] in April 1993, and again in June and October. The first episode produced outside of New York was taped in ], ] in November 1993 and ''Raw'' left the Manhattan Center permanently as the show would be taken on the road throughout the United States and had in smaller venues. | |||
] | |||
=== The Attitude Era and Spike TV === | |||
''Raw'' was also one of a kind, in which they covered the unexpected, exciting moments, a prelude to "]", in which it coined ''Raw'' as "Uncut, Uncensored, Uncooked."<ref name="p52HistoryofWWE"/> Some of those moments include Razor Ramon losing a match unexpectedly to ], who was later known as X-Pac; ] beating Shawn Michaels to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship; and ''Raw'' was the first WWF television program of any kind to show footage of ] bodyslamming Yokozuna at the '']''. | |||
On September 4, 1995, the WWF's chief competitor ] (WCW) began airing its new wrestling show, '']'', live each week on ], which marked the start of the ].<ref name="p53HistoryofWWE">{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=53}}</ref> ''Raw'' and ''Nitro'' went head-to-head for the first time on September 11, 1995. At the start of the ratings war in 1995 through to mid-1996, ''Raw'' and ''Nitro'' exchanged victories over each other in a closely contested rivalry. Beginning in mid-1996, however, due to the ] ], ''Nitro'' started a ratings win-streak that lasted for 84 consecutive weeks, ending on April 13, 1998.<ref name="p53HistoryofWWE"/> On February 3, 1997, ''Raw'' went to a two-hour format,<ref name="p53HistoryofWWE"/> to compete with the extra hour on ''Nitro'' (which had been expanded to two hours in the spring of 1996), and by March 10, it was renamed to ''Raw Is War''. It was also during the time ''Raw'' would be aired live more often. After ] in March 1998, the WWF regained the lead in the Monday Night War with its new "]" brand. The April 13, 1998 episode of ''Raw Is War'', which was headlined by a match between ] and Vince McMahon, marked the first time that ''Nitro'' had lost the head-to-head Monday night ] battle in the 84 weeks since 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://panelsonpages.com/?p=6313|title=Holy Crap! Remember... The WWF Attitude Era!?|work=Panels on Pages|access-date=April 17, 2013|archive-date=October 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019051736/http://www.panelsonpages.com/?p=6313|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
On January 4, 1999, ], who had wrestled for WCW during the early 1990s as Cactus Jack, ] on ''Raw Is War''. On orders from ], ''Nitro'' announcer ] gave away this previously taped result on a live ''Nitro'' and then sarcastically added, "That's gonna put some butts in the seats", consequently resulting in over 600,000 viewers switching channels to ''Raw Is War'' to see the underdog capture the ]. This was also the night that ''Nitro'' aired a ] match in which ] laid down for ] after Hogan ]. | |||
The original hosts of ''Raw'' were ], ] and "Macho Man" ].<ref name="p52HistoryofWWE"/> ] conducted the interviews and ] also helped contribute. On April 19, 1993, Rob Bartlett made his final appearance on the program. He was dropped from the broadcasting team and was replaced by Bobby Heenan the following week. Then on December 6, 1993, ] kicked Bobby Heenan out of the WWF forever. In reality, this was a ] between Monsoon and his close friend Heenan, who decided to leave the World Wrestling Federation in order to lighten his travel schedule and because he didn't want to take a 50% paycut. After about a year, ''Raw'' moved out of the Manhattan Center and traveled to various regular Federation venues in the United States. | |||
On June 28, 2000, ] won the landmark deal with the WWF to move all of its WWF programs stemming from the lawsuit action against WWF from USA Network.<ref name="Raw to TNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-28309656_ITM|title=WWF Raw Is War to Premiere on TNN September 25|publisher=]|date=2000-09-20|access-date=2009-08-21|archive-date=September 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902204559/https://www.nelsonbrain.com/shop|url-status=live}}</ref> The new television contract and the subsequent purchase of competitor WCW led to many changes in WWF's programming content. ''Raw Is War'' premiered on ] on September 25, 2000. | |||
===The Monday Night Wars=== | |||
{{Main|Monday Night Wars}} | |||
In 1995, ] (WCW) began airing its new wrestling show, '']'', live each week on ].<ref name="p53HistoryofWWE">{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=53|accessdate=2009-07-16}}</ref> ''Raw'' and ''Nitro'' went head-to-head for the first time on September 11, 1995. Due to ''Raw'''s taping schedule on several occasions, WCW Vice President ], who was also an on-air personality, would frequently give away the results of WWF's taped ''Raw'' shows on the live WCW show. Some fans also looked at ''Raw'' taping results on the steadily growing ]; as a result, this caused the ] of the taped ''Raw'' episodes to be lower. | |||
WCW's sharp decline in revenue and ratings led to ] selling selected assets such as the WCW name, tape library, and contracts to the WWF in March 2001 for $3 million.<ref name="WWFdeal">{{cite news|first=Don|last=Callis|title=Deal leaves wrestlers out in cold|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingWCWSale/cyrus_01mar25-sun.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720005418/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingWCWSale/cyrus_01mar25-sun.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 20, 2012|publisher=Slam! Sports|date=March 25, 2001}}</ref> The final episode of ''Nitro'', which aired on March 26, 2001, began with Vince McMahon making a short statement about his recent purchase of WCW and ended with a simulcast with ''Raw'' on TNN and ''Nitro'' on TNT including an appearance by Vince's son ].<ref name="wwe55">{{cite book|last1= Shields|first1= Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title= WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=55}}</ref> The younger McMahon interrupted his father's gloating over the WCW purchase to explain that Shane was the one who actually owned WCW, setting up what became the WWF's "]" storyline. Following the purchase of WCW and the ], the program was retitled as ''Raw'' on October 1, 2001, permanently retiring the ''Raw Is War'' moniker in prelude to the ]. | |||
''WWF Raw'' had a live broadcast every other week to save costs, until September 1999, when ratings and pay-per-view buy rate increased, allowing them to justify doing a weekly live show. | |||
In March 2002, as a result of the overabundance of talent left over from the Invasion storyline, WWF instituted a process known as the "]", under which ''Raw'' and '']'' would be treated as two distinct divisions, each with their own rosters and championships.<ref name="BrandExtensionPressRelease">{{cite press release|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp|title=WWE to make Raw and SmackDown! distinct TV brands|publisher=]|date=March 27, 2002|access-date=April 5, 2012|archive-date=April 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417115226/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_27.jsp}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, the WWF was ] to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). | |||
At the start of the ratings war in 1995 through to mid-1996, ''Raw'' and ''Nitro'' exchanged victories over each other in a closely contested rivalry. Beginning in mid-1996, however, thanks primarily to the ] angle, ''Monday Nitro'' started a ratings win-streak that lasted for 84 continuous weeks, ending on April 13, 1998.<ref name="p53HistoryofWWE"/> | |||
=== |
=== Return to USA Network === | ||
{{multiple image | |||
] | |||
| width = 200 | |||
On February 3, 1997, ''Monday Night Raw'' went to a two hour format,<ref name="p53HistoryofWWE"/> as ] was starting to come in full stream in the WWF. In an attempt to break the momentum of what had turned into ratings domination by WCW's competing ''Monday Nitro'', ] (ECW) was brought in as ] "challenged" ECW on February 17, 1997. | |||
| direction = vertical | |||
| image1 = WWE Raw Logo 2019.svg | |||
| alt1 = | |||
| footer = The ''Raw'' logo used since July 25, 2016. This logo would undergo multiple minor changes since 2019. | |||
}} | |||
On March 10, 2005, Viacom and WWE decided not to go on with the agreement with Spike TV (formerly TNN, now ]), effectively ending ''Raw'' and other ]' tenure on Spike TV when their deal expired in September 2005. On April 4, 2005, WWE announced a three-year deal with ] to bring ''Raw'' back to its former home, USA Network, with two yearly specials on ] and a Spanish ''Raw'' on ].<ref name="Raw Returns">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2005_04_04a.jsp|title=WWE's RAW Returns to USA Network|publisher=]|date=2005-05-04|access-date=2009-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202050139/http://corporate.wwe.com./news/2005_04_04a.jsp|archive-date=December 2, 2008}}</ref> On the same week as ''Raw''{{'}}s return to USA Network, Spike TV scheduled ] (UFC)'s live ''Ultimate Fight Night'' in ''Raw''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s old timeslot in an attempt to go head-to-head with ''Raw''.<ref name="WWE vs UFC">{{cite web|url=http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=730&zoneid=1 |title=WWE VS UFC Showdown Heats Up |publisher=MMA Weekly |date=2005-09-25 |access-date=2009-08-21 |first=Ivan |last=Trembow }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | |||
Since the return to USA Network, ''Raw'' has been pre-empted during the ], which ], resulting in ''Raw'' to be moved to ], a sister channel to USA, for three years. Since 2016, the two-hour version of that week's ''Raw'' has aired on Syfy. In February 2022, Raw temporarily moved to Syfy for two episodes due to ] (as part of ]) of the ]. | |||
In an episode where ''Raw'' returned to the Manhattan Center, the "challenge" answered on the following week's show with ], ], ], ], ], and ]. ECW owner ] did a call-in interview on ''Raw'' the week after that. | |||
On the August 29, 2011 episode of ''Raw'', it was announced that performers from ''Raw'' and ''SmackDown'' were no longer exclusive to their respective brand, thus effectively dissolving the brand extension.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nemer|first=Paul|title=Raw Results – 8/29/11|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-wrestling-results/wwe-raw-results/26309-raw-results-8-29-11/|work=Wrestleview|date=August 30, 2011|access-date=November 5, 2016|archive-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331032437/http://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-wrestling-results/wwe-raw-results/26309-raw-results-8-29-11/|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 23, 2012, ''Raw'' aired its ], which also began its permanent three-hour format.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/258735-tna-notes-chavos-wwe-success-wwe-drops-qsupershowq-name|title=TNA Notes Chavo's WWE Career, WWE Drops "Supershow" Name – Wrestlezone|author=Nick Paglino|date=30 July 2012|work=Wrestlezone|access-date=November 9, 2014|archive-date=November 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109063303/http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/258735-tna-notes-chavos-wwe-success-wwe-drops-qsupershowq-name|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Charlie Sheen checks in live on Raw 1000|url=http://www.wwe.com/videos/playlists/charlie-sheen-on-raw-1000|publisher=]|work=].com|access-date=October 24, 2015|date=23 July 2012|archive-date=January 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106131137/http://www.wwe.com/videos/playlists/charlie-sheen-on-raw-1000|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 14, 2013, ''Raw'' celebrated its 20th year on the air.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/hoffman/article/Houston-show-celebrates-20-wild-years-of-WWE-Raw-4180803.php|title=Houston show celebrates 20 wild years of 'WWE Raw'|publisher=]|date=2013-01-09|access-date=2018-01-31|archive-date=January 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200950/http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/hoffman/article/Houston-show-celebrates-20-wild-years-of-WWE-Raw-4180803.php|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 25, 2016, WWE reintroduced the ], and a new set with red ring ropes, a brand new stage, used at ]. Furthermore, the broadcast table was moved to the entrance ramp similar to how it was in 2002–2005.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}} On January 22, 2018, WWE celebrated the 25th anniversary of Raw with a simulcast show at the ] in Brooklyn and the home of the first Monday Night Raw, the Manhattan Center.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/wwe/story/_/id/22188047/wwe-monday-night-raw-recap-raw-25-was-fun-bit-mess|title=Monday Night Raw Recap: Raw 25 was fun, but a bit of a mess|publisher=]|date=2013-01-23|access-date=2018-01-31|archive-date=January 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131132831/http://www.espn.co.uk/wwe/story/_/id/22188047/wwe-monday-night-raw-recap-raw-25-was-fun-bit-mess|url-status=live}}</ref> On the February 19 episode of ''Raw'', six days before ], seven participants of the men's ] match, ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], were involved in a ] that began with Reigns and Rollins. Strowman won the Gauntlet match by pinning The Miz in what was the longest match in WWE history, lasting nearly two hours.<ref>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE Raw Live TV Review: Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns vs. John Cena vs. Finn Balor vs. The Miz vs. Elias vs. Seth Rollins in a gauntlet match, Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Mickie James vs. Alexa Bliss, Mandy Rose, and Sonya Deville, final push for WWE Elimination Chamber|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2018/02/19/wwe-raw-live-tv-review-braun-strowman-vs-roman-reigns-vs-john-cena-vs-finn-balor-vs-miz-vs-elias-vs-seth-rollins-gauntlet-match-match-sasha-banks-bayley-mickie-james-vs-alexa-b/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=February 19, 2018|archive-date=February 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220121106/https://prowrestling.net/site/2018/02/19/wwe-raw-live-tv-review-braun-strowman-vs-roman-reigns-vs-john-cena-vs-finn-balor-vs-miz-vs-elias-vs-seth-rollins-gauntlet-match-match-sasha-banks-bayley-mickie-james-vs-alexa-b/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Throughout 1997, further controversial elements emerged with ''Raw'' and WWF programming. | |||
Memorable moments included ] cursing profanely at the crowd after reaping loss in a ], with commentators apologizing for his foul behavior, before he proceeds in major brawls with ], ], ], and briefly ]. Some of the most notable moments cites the profusely intense feud with The Hart Foundation against Michaels and Austin, which saw Raw develop a memorable episode in which Michaels and Austin beat The British Bulldog and Owen Hart for the ], and during their post-match attack on Michaels, Austin physically charged a disabled Bret Hart to ward them off. Other events saw the new black street gang ] formed, and Michaels ] "racial graffiti" storyline designed to "implicate Bret Hart's ']'", and the "XXX Files" series. | |||
From March 12, 2020, to August 18, 2020, WWE announced that all of its live programs would air from the ] in ] ] until further notice beginning with the following day's episode of ''SmackDown'' due to the ] that resulted in the suspension of many professional sports leagues. On the May 25 episode of ''Raw,'' NXT trainees were added into live crowds at the Performance Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2880809-report-wwe-moves-raw-on-316-day-featuring-stone-cold-to-performance-center|title=Report: WWE Moves Raw on '3:16 Day,' Featuring Stone Cold, to Performance Center|last=Blanchette|first=Rob|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=March 13, 2020|work=]|archive-date=April 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410204702/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2880809-report-wwe-moves-raw-on-316-day-featuring-stone-cold-to-performance-center|url-status=live}}</ref> In August, all programming was moved to the new, state-of-the-art ] inside of the ] in Orlando. On May 21, 2021, WWE announced that they will return in front of live fans with a 25 city tour,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2021/21-05-2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222162804/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2021/21-05-2021 |archive-date=February 22, 2023 |title=WWE Returns To Live Events With 25-City Tour Beginning July 16 |work=] |date=May 21, 2021 |access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> therefore the July 12, 2021 edition of Raw would be the final WWE ThunderDome show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-raw-results/194602-wwe-raw-results-july-12-2021/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104022251/https://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-raw-results/194602-wwe-raw-results-july-12-2021/ |archive-date=November 4, 2021 |title=WWE Raw Results – 7/12/21 (Final WWE Raw from the ThunderDome, Money in the Bank build) |work=WrestleView |last=Tedesco |first=Mike |date=July 12, 2021 |access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> | |||
On March 10, 1997, ''Monday Night Raw'' officially became ''Raw is War''. The March 17, 1997 episode featured a heated Bret Hart/Vince McMahon ringside altercation (that unknowingly foreshadowed the ]) with profanity normally unheard on TV. ] did a series of "XXX Files" segments with ], which further "pushed the envelope". These segments ended prematurely with the September 29, 1997 episode of ''Raw'', after the death of Brian Pillman on October 5, 1997 due to hereditary heart problems. | |||
=== Move to Netflix === | |||
After ] in March 1998, which featured ] as a ring enforcer, and Shawn Michaels final match up until 2002, the WWF regained the lead in the Monday Night Wars with its new "WWF Attitude" brand, led in particular by rising stars Steve Austin, ], ] and ]. The classic ] between the ] WWF Chairman Vince McMahon (who was re-imagined and re-branded from the color commentator into the evil corporal chairman character Mr. McMahon after the real-life Montreal Screwjob incident) and ] Steve Austin caught the imaginations of fans. The April 13, 1998 episode of ''Raw'', headlined by a match between Austin and McMahon, marked the first time that WCW had lost the head-to-head Monday night ] battle in the 84 weeks since 1996. | |||
In September 2023, USA Network announced that ''SmackDown'' would return to the network in October 2024 after the expiration of its contract with ]; it was concurrently reported that the rights to ''Raw'' and ''NXT'' were on the market with heavy interest among linear networks and digital properties.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2023-09-21 |title=WWE's 'Smackdown' to Move From Fox to USA Network in New Rights Deal |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/wwes-smackdown-usa-network-2024-1235730831/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |work=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=2023-09-21 |title=WWE 'SmackDown' Leaving Fox for USA Next Year, as 'Raw' Hits the Market |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/wwe-smackdown-leaving-fox-usa-network-raw-1235595545/ |access-date=2023-10-10 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> | |||
On January 23, 2024, ] announced that ] would acquire the rights to ''Raw'' beginning in January 2025, in what was reported to be a 10-year deal worth $500 million per-year (roughly double the value of WWE's current agreement with NBCUniversal). The agreement will initially cover the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, with other territories to be added in the future. The agreement also gives Netflix rights to all WWE programming outside of the United States (replacing WWE Network), including weekly shows, archive content, and live events.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2024-01-23 |title=Netflix Gets In The Ring, Locking Up WWE's 'Monday Night Raw' In 10-Year, $5B-Plus Deal For Longtime TV Staple |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/netflix-wwe-monday-night-raw-streaming-tv-1235801673/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=Deadline}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sherman |first1=Alex |last2=Pramuk |first2=Jacob |date=2024-01-23 |title=Netflix to stream WWE's Raw starting next year in its biggest jump into live entertainment |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/23/netflix-to-stream-wwes-raw-starting-next-year.html |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=CNBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2024-01-23 |title=Netflix, WWE Strike Deal to Move 'Monday Night Raw' to Streamer Beginning in 2025 for $500 Million per Year |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/netflix-wwe-monday-night-raw-deal-january-2025-1235882820/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=Variety}}</ref> While USA Network's contract for ''Raw'' was to expire in October 2024, WWE reached a short-term extension of its agreement with NBCUniversal to keep ''Raw'' on the network through the end of the year. From October 7 through December 30, ''Raw'' was shortened from three to two hours; wrestling reporter ] stated that this was a request made by USA Network.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2024-05-08 |title=WWE ‘Monday Night Raw’ To Stay On USA Network Through Year-End Before Netflix Shift; Rights Extension With NBCU Valued At $25M |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/wwe-raw-nbcuniversal-extension-netflix-usa-network-1235909114/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |work=Deadline}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Andrew |date=2024-09-10 |title=WWE Raw to be two hours starting October 7th through December 30th on USA Network |url=https://www.postwrestling.com/2024/09/09/wwe-raw-to-be-two-hours-starting-october-7th-through-december-30th-on-usa-network/ |access-date=2024-09-10 |work=POST Wrestling}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-10 |title=Wrestling Observer Radio: WWE Raw recap & shift to two hours, UFC Sphere debut, Kuniyaki Kobayashi passes away |url=https://www.f4wonline.com/podcasts/wrestling-observer-radio/wrestling-observer-radio-raw-ufc-at-the-globe-kobayashi-death-raw-to-two-hours-more/ |access-date=2024-09-10 |website=F4W/WON}}</ref> | |||
While ''Raw'' was taking a new approach to programming, ''Nitro'' began producing lackluster programming with repetitive storylines. Older stars such as Hogan and Nash frequently occupied the main events, while younger talent such as ], ], ], and ] were not given opportunities to advance, and the only newcomers elevated to main-event status at this time were ] and ]. | |||
With the move to streaming, WWE chief content officer ] said that the length of the show on Netflix will be "flexible", and no longer bound to a set runtime as with shows carried on linear television.<ref name=":0" /> When asked about the average runtime of each episode, he responded that "for me, the perfect show time is somewhere in the two-and-a-half-hour range. If you had asked me years ago, the two hour shows, you get into them and you don't have the real estate on that program to get everything in there you want to get in, all the stories and characters. Sometimes, it's a good thing because it creates scarcity and opportunity for people to be more over, but sometimes there are things you want to get in there."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-04 |title=Triple H Says WWE Raw On Netflix Runtime Will Be Flexible |url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/triple-h-says-wwe-raw-netflix-runtime-will-be-flexible |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Fightful}}</ref> | |||
Meanwhile, on ''Raw'', fans were immersed in the feud between WWF owner Vince McMahon and Steve Austin. New talent such as Triple H being the new leader of the D-Generation X (DX) ], Mankind and The Rock were elevated to main event status on the WWF's program. Superstars such as Kane, Kurt Angle, Val Venis, Goldust and the like were coming through the ranks and exposing the WWF as territory where new talent can ascend unlike the WCW counterpart. Matters were so heated between the two programs that, when both shows were on the ] on the same night (''Raw'' in ], ''Nitro'' in ]), DX was sent to film a "war" segment at the ] where they berated WCW and interviewed fans on camera who stated that they received their ''Nitro'' tickets for free (presumably in an attempt by WCW to pack the arena to capacity due to low ticket sales).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2= Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=54|accessdate=2009-07-16}}</ref> | |||
== Production == | |||
On January 4, 1999, Mick Foley, who had wrestled for WCW during the early 1990s as Cactus Jack, won the WWF Title as Mankind on ''Raw''. On orders from Bischoff, ''Nitro'' announcer ] gave away this previously taped result on a live ''Nitro'', and then sarcastically added ''"that'll sure put some butts in the seats"'' consequently resulting in over 600,000 viewers switching channels to watch ''Raw''. This was also the night that ''Nitro'' aired a ] match in which ] blatantly laid down for ] after Hogan ]. The next week, and for months after, many fans in the ''Raw'' audience brought signs which read, ''"Mick Foley put my ass in this seat!"'' | |||
{{more citations needed|section|date=April 2023}} | |||
] | |||
''Raw''{{'}}s original set featured red, white, and blue ring-ropes, a blue ring-apron, blue steps, and a small stage made of neon light tubes. In 1995, the entrance way was changed to feature "Raw" in giant letters. Beginning on March 10, 1997, broadcasts of ''Raw'' were split into two hour-long blocks, each given its own name for ]. The first hour was referred to as ''Raw Is War'', and the second became known as ''War Zone''. These changes were reflected in television listings and, beginning with the June 9, 1997 episode, by the show's on-screen graphics. ''War Zone'' initially opened with a repeat of the Raw intro, punctuated with the War Zone logo. On November 24, 1997, the hour received its own distinct opening video, a remixed version of the typical Raw opening. | |||
In 1997, the WWF changed the color of the ring-ropes to red and began printing ''Raw Is War'' along the ring in reference to their ] with ]. The stages was updated to feature a 70-foot tall large screen video wall known as the "]", which consisted of a ] with several ]es and a ]. The set also initially featured ] on each side with truss beams and lighting later bearing the "WWF Attitude" banner on the sides. By 1999, the WWF placed a "WWF.com: 'Download This!'" logo on the bottom of the TitanTron and added two vertical sides on the stage along with a USA Network logo on top of the TitanTron. | |||
====The end of the Wars==== | |||
] | |||
''Raw'' moved to ] from ] beginning with the September 25, 2000 episode. The TNN network logo was added atop the TitanTron on the December 11, 2000 episode. ] graphics were added to the bottom beginning with the July 2, 2001 episode. | |||
A new television contract with Viacom led to a WWF change in the broadcast. On September 25, 2000, ''Raw'' moved from the USA Network to ] (which later became ]).<ref name="Raw to TNN"/> | |||
Beginning October 1, 2001, in direct response to the ], the first hour was referred to as ''Raw'' instead of ''Raw Is War'', and the second hour was rebranded from the ''War Zone'' to the ''Raw Zone'' within the show's on-screen graphics. The Monday Night War had ended months earlier with the WWF's purchase of the competing WCW brand. '']'', which had once gone head-to-head with ''Raw'', aired its final show in March. WWF announcers began generally referring to the entire two-hour block as ''Raw'' on-air. ''Raw'' updated to a new, industrial-inspired, ]-shaped TitanTron in 2002. Ring apron lettering that had once born ''Raw Is War'' slogan was replaced with an advertisement for the WWF website. Around this time, black ring-ropes were occasionally used. Like the previous set, the TNN logo was relocated to the bottom side of the TitanTron. It was subsequently replaced by the ] logo on August 11, 2003, upon network relaunch. During the July 25, 2005 broadcast of ''Raw'' in ], ], a special stage design was built for the ]-] Battle of the Bands concert. | |||
WCW's sharp decline in revenue and ratings led to Time Warner's sale of the company to the WWF in 2001. The final edition of ''Nitro'' aired on March 26, 2001. The show began with Vince McMahon making a short statement about his recent purchase of WCW and ended with a simulcast on ''Raw'' and on TNN with an appearance by Vince's son ] on ''Nitro''.<ref name="wwe55">{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=55|accessdate=2009-07-16}}</ref> Shane interrupted his father's gloating over the WCW purchase to explain that Shane was the one who actually owned WCW, setting up what became the WWF's "]" storyline. | |||
The 2002 set was designed by Production Designer Jason Robinson. It featured a larger TitanTron with dimensions of 55 feet wide by 25 feet tall. The expanded structure weighed about 4,000 pounds and requiring three 18,000-watt projector screens to power itself. According to ] on a 2003 episode of '']'', the show utilized 13 cameras at the time at a cost of $85,000. | |||
The ''Raw is War'' logo and name were retired in September 2001, following the ] and sensitivity over the word ''war'', and because the Monday Night Wars were "over". | |||
On October 3, 2005, as ''Raw'' returned to USA Network, the 2002 set was retained but the beams and lighting on the sides were modified. The Spike TV logo was removed from the bottom side of the TitanTron. On October 9, 2006, the show debuted a new logo and opening intro featuring "]" by ] as its theme song. This logo and intro were retained until November 9, 2009, a period that also saw the changeover to broadcasting ''Raw'' in ], which occurred on January 21, 2008. | |||
===Brand Extension=== | |||
{{Main|WWE Brand Extension}} | |||
] | |||
From November 16, 2009, to July 16, 2012, the theme song for the ''Raw'' brand was "]" by ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/subscriptions/wwetunes/3242484/nickelbackrawtheme|access-date=2009-11-09|title=Nickelback and WWE team up for new Raw theme|publisher=WWE|archive-date=November 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112014658/http://www.wwe.com/subscriptions/wwetunes/3242484/nickelbackrawtheme|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to this, the theme song for ''Raw'' was "]" by ], which had been used since October 9, 2006 and "Across The Nation" by ] which was used from April 1, 2002, to October 2, 2006. The rock and roll outro of "]" featuring ] of ] was the theme song from March 31, 1997, to March 25, 2002. | |||
In early to mid-2002, WWE underwent a process they called the "Brand Extension".<ref name="wwe55" /> WWE divided itself into two "de facto" wrestling promotions with separate rosters, storylines and authority figures.<ref name="wwe55" /> Raw and SmackDown! would host each division, give its name to the division and essentially compete against each other. The split was a result of WWF purchasing their two biggest competitors, ] and ]. The brand extension was publicly announced during a telecast of ''WWF Raw'' on March 25, 2002, and became official the next day. | |||
On May 17, 2012, WWE and USA Network announced that ''Raw'' would switch to a permanent three-hour format beginning with the 1,000th episode on July 23, 2012.<ref name="3hoursperm">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/raw-expands-to-three-hours|publisher=]|title=Raw expands to three hours starting July 30|date=May 17, 2012|access-date=2012-05-17|archive-date=April 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420192249/http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/raw-expands-to-three-hours|url-status=live}}</ref> Since then, all three hours of the broadcast have been known solely as ''Raw'', though they are still considered three separate programs for Nielsen ratings purposes (as indicated by the on-screen copyright notice shown near the end of each hour). In 2010, WWE retired the red ropes for ''Raw'' after thirteen years for an all white scheme, which in 2012 became standard for all WWE programming. In 2012, ''Raw'' updated their HD set.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/wwehd|title='Redefining' television with WWE HD|access-date=August 2, 2015|work=].com|publisher=]|first=Corey|last=Clayton|archive-date=May 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525140115/http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/wwehd|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Wrestlers now would become show-exclusive, wrestling for their specific show only. At the time this excluded the ] and ], as those WWE titles would be defended on both shows. In August 2002, WWE Undisputed Champion ] refused to defend the title on ''Raw'', in effect causing his title to become exclusive to ''SmackDown!'' The following week on Raw, General Manager Eric Bischoff awarded a newly instated ] to Raw's designated number one contender, ]. Due to the fact that since the WWE Undisputed Championship was now SmackDown! exclusive it was no longer seen as "undisputed". Following this, the ] soon became Raw-exclusive as well. As a result of the Brand Extension, an annual "]" was instituted to exchange members of each roster and generally refresh the lineups. | |||
Beginning in mid-2014, this set would also be featured in ]. From late September through the end of October 2012, the middle rope at all WWE programming was changed to pink due to WWE's alliance with the ] organization for ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ww5.komen.org/wwe/|title=BUSINESSES THAT ARE HELPING END BREAST CANCER FOREVER. WWE®|access-date=August 2, 2015|work=/ww5.komen.org|archive-date=July 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722173615/http://ww5.komen.org/wwe/|url-status=live}}</ref> This was repeated in 2013, from late September to early November, and it was repeated in 2014 from September 29. WWE is one of many organizations who provide financial contributions to the organization in addition to raising awareness among its staff and consumers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://community.wwe.com/hope/news/wwe-goes-pink-susan-g-komen|title=WWE goes pink with Susan G. Komen|access-date=August 2, 2015|work=community.wwe.com|publisher=]|archive-date=September 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915045416/https://community.wwe.com/hope/news/wwe-goes-pink-susan-g-komen|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
''WWE Raw'' claimed to have earned the distinction of having the most original episodes of any fictional weekly program on August 2, 2005 when it broadcasted the 636th episode. It was said to have taken the place of '']'', which held that distinction. However, under the criteria WWE used to make this claim, the actual record would be held by the show '']'', which ran continuously on Saturday evenings on ] between 1972 and 1984.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}} That said, Raw went on to surpass the ''Georgia Championship Wrestling'' record as they now have produced over 800 episodes. | |||
On August 18, 2014, ''Raw'' switched to a full 16:9 letterbox widescreen presentation, with a down-scaled version of the native HD feed on a 4:3 SD feed. In conjunction with this, ''Raw'' updated its graphics package, with the new WWE logo (first used with the WWE Network's launch in February) now on the lower-right corner of the screen, right next to the word, "Live". At this time, the new WWE logo began appearing on the ring's turnbuckle covers, and USA Network logo moved to the lower-left hand corner of the screen. Additionally, ''Raw''{{'}}s theme song ("The Night") was modified. | |||
===Return to USA Network=== | |||
] | |||
On March 23, 2015, WWE added a small ] board to the left side of the ring on ''Raw''. This LED board was also used at ]. The LED board has since been featured on a sporadic basis, appearing in some weeks and being absent in others. On the ], "The Night" by Kromestatik debuted as the theme for ''Raw''. "Energy" by ] served as the secondary theme-song until August 18, 2014, when it was replaced with "Denial" by ].<ref name="2012Theme">{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wwe-night-monday-night-raw/id585683196|title=WWE: The Night (Monday Night Raw Official Theme Song) – Single|publisher=]|access-date=2012-12-10|archive-date=November 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109110846/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wwe-night-monday-night-raw/id585683196|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
On March 10, 2005, ] and ] decided not to go on with the agreement with ], making it so ''Raw'' and other ] on the network would cease when their deal expired in September 2005. On April 4, 2005, WWE announced a 3-year deal with ] to bring ''Raw'' back to its former home, the ], with 2 yearly specials on ] and a ] ''Raw'' on ].<ref name="Raw Returns"/> On the same week as ''Raw'''s re-debut on USA, ] scheduled ]'s live '']'' in ''Raw''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s old timeslot in an attempt to go head-to-head with ''Raw''.<ref name="WWE vs UFC">{{cite web|url=http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=730&zoneid=1|title=WWE VS UFC Showdown Heats Up|publisher=MMA Weekly|date=2005-09-25|accessdate=2009-08-21|first=Ivan|last=Trembow}}</ref> | |||
On the September 14, 2015 season premiere of ''Raw'', the middle rope was colored gold. Throughout the month of October 2015, the program once again partnered with ] to promote ], with various stage elements being made pink.<ref name="October 2015">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2015/wwe-goes-pink-with-susan-g-komen|title=WWE GOES PINK WITH SUSAN G. KOMEN|access-date=October 12, 2015|work=].com|publisher=]|date=October 1, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011035741/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2015/wwe-goes-pink-with-susan-g-komen|archive-date=October 11, 2015}}</ref> On the November 16, 2015, episode of ''Raw'', WWE had a moment of silence for the victims of the ] in ], France, on November 13, 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/642609-wwe-raw-results-111615|title=WWE RAW Results LIVE IN PROGRESS, JOIN THE DISCUSSION, USE #WRESTLEZONE|access-date=November 16, 2015|date=November 16, 2015|first=Lovell|last=Porter|work=Wrestle Zone|archive-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117013045/http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/642609-wwe-raw-results-111615|url-status=live}}</ref> Another moment of silence was held months later in June for the victims of the ]. | |||
The show's first night back on USA was billed as the "WWE Homecoming" and featured the return of former ] such as ], ], ], ], ] and ] along with cameos from legends such as ], ], ] and ].<ref name="WWE vs UFC"/> WWE Homecoming was three hours long — the second longest an episode of ''Raw'' has ever run in its 12-year history. USA also showed ''Raw Exposed'', an hour of the best moments of ''Raw'' during its previous run on USA. ] announced that ''Raw'' received its highest ratings in three years, gaining close to six million viewers. | |||
On July 25, 2016, the ropes returned to red, the announce table moved back to the top of the stage for the first time since 2005, and a new HD set and graphics were debuted. The new set was almost identical to the set used for ] ] and ]. After some fans responded negatively to the redesign, the set was revamped four weeks later with a more elaborate and distinctive arrangement. The new set featured the absence of a traditional TitanTron, which had been part of the ''Raw'' staging since 1997. In its place was a curved LED banner with several rows of rectangle LED lights behind it. The new set also introduced LED floor panels on the entrance ramp along with LED ring posts. On the January 29, 2018 episode of Raw, new graphics and an updated logo were introduced, which lasted until September 23, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Giri|first1=Raj|title=WWE RAW Logo Revamped (Photos), New RAW Theme Song On Its Way? - WrestlingInc.com|url=http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0129/636482/new-wwe-raw-logo-and-theme-song-debuting-tonight/|website=WrestlingInc.com|date=January 29, 2018 |language=en|access-date=February 3, 2018|archive-date=February 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204000103/http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2018/0129/636482/new-wwe-raw-logo-and-theme-song-debuting-tonight/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The following week, Vince McMahon ] ] for not helping after Steve Austin gave him and his entire family the ]. ], the second analyst at the table, took over Ross's duties as play-by-play for two weeks until former ] announcer ] was hired. | |||
] on August 19, 2024]] | |||
In September 2021, the ring-ropes changed color from red to white, which was also reflected on ''SmackDown''. On November 22 of that year, an updated version of the 2019 logo was introduced, alongside new graphics. The theme song was changed to "Greatness" by Vo Williams, which remained its theme song until November 20, 2023, when it was changed to "Born to Be" by def rebel, the artist behind WWE's music input for its programming, which is performed by Supreme Madness. Bumper themes included "Survival", "Eye of an Warrior" and "Legacy". | |||
In February 2022, ''Raw'' and '']'' temporarily moved to ] in the United States due to USA Network broadcasting coverage of the ]. A similar arrangement occurred in August 2024 for the ]. | |||
====2006==== | |||
On the May 1, 2006 edition of ''Raw'', ] announced he was quitting (]). His vacating of the announcer position set the stage for Jim Ross to return to Raw's commentary booth, thus ending the storyline where Ross got fired by ]. This freed Styles to become a commentator for the ] brand when it launched in June. | |||
=== Theme music === | |||
In ], after an 11 year run on ], ''Raw'' moved to rival sports broadcaster ] after it was announced that TSN would be carrying '']'' for the 2006 season. This also meant that Canadian viewers would be watching via a one hour tape-delay, as ] does not broadcast ''Raw'' live, but in 2007, started airing the show with only a 15 minute tape delay. The first 15 minutes of the hour contains a countdown pre-show recapping the previous week's events.<ref name=thescore>{{cite web|url=http://www.thescore.ca/scoretv|title=WWE RAW|accessdate=2009-10-06|publisher=The Score}}</ref> | |||
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" | |||
During the September 25, 2006 episode of ''Raw'' in ], the opening of ''Raw'' suffered a blackout. Spotlights were the only lights running in the house. Power in the presentation was later restored. Another similar moment happened back on May 26, 1996 in ] for WWF ], when a major thunderstorm hit the ] causing major chaos for the PPV. That Tuesday, ], returned to ] to finish out three matches that were not shown because of the lost power feed. | |||
On October 9, 2006, ''Raw'' held a three-hour season premiere called the "Raw Family Reunion", where the Raw brand debuted a new logo and theme song, ]'s "'']''". The episode also featured talent from the SmackDown! and ECW brands. Later that month, on October 23 ''Raw'' aired its 700th episode, making it the longest running weekly entertainment show, without a ], in television history.<ref name="wwe55" /> | |||
====2007==== | |||
{{See also|Chris Benoit double murder and suicide}} | |||
On June 25, 2007, ''Raw'' was scheduled in ] to be a three-hour special memorial show for the ] death of the ] character. Two weeks earlier, the show had broadcast an angle in which Mr. McMahon was murdered by a bomb planted within his limousine. The 'Mr. McMahon' tribute was cancelled on the day it was due to air after the real life death of current superstar Chris Benoit and his family. The show then became a three-hour tribute to Benoit. What made this tribute different from others (e.g. Eddie Guerrero and Owen Hart) was that the show had no original matches and no live audience. Instead, the three-hour show aired highlights from the WWE DVD 'Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story', and a selection of Benoit's most famous matches. Several wrestlers paid tribute in the form of real interviews about him, and Vince McMahon broke character to address the viewers about what had happened. However, when the facts of Benoit's death came to light, WWE pulled this episode from international markets which aired ''Raw'' on a ] basis. Several channels announced the episode was being withheld for legal reasons. A substitute ''Raw'', hosted by ] from WWE Studios, was created featuring recaps of John Cena's WWE Championship victories, mainly the ones that had occurred over the past year. The episode started with a message from Vince McMahon which originally aired on the June 26 edition of ''ECW''. Some countries that received WWE programing up to three weeks late had all Chris Benoit matches edited out. The WWE even removed all Chris Benoit matches and interviews from the WWE 24/7 service. | |||
On December 10, 2007 ''Raw'' celebrated its 15th anniversary in a three-hour spectacular on the USA Network with the returns of ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] (as Mankind) among others.<ref name="wwe55" /> Along with several reunions of former tag teams and also included a 15-man "15 Years of Raw" ]. The Raw 15th Anniversary DVD was also released which featured some of the most memorable moments in Raw history. | |||
====2008==== | |||
] debut.]] | |||
WWE began their 2008 year with a new HD set, which consisted of more than 1,000,000 ]s. The introduction of this new set retired the old set, which was used from April 2002 to January 2008. Raw's first show in HD was held in the ] in ]. | |||
On June 30, 2008 the World Heavyweight Championship returned to Raw after ] cashed in money in the bank and defeated Edge. | |||
On the September 8, 2008 edition of Raw it was announced that a "talent exchange" was started between ''ECW'' and ''Raw'', allowing their respective talent to appear and compete on either brand. This is similar to an earlier "talent exchange" between ] and ECW. | |||
On November 3, 2008, ''Raw'' celebrated its 800th episode with a three hour episode. The actual 800th episode aired on September 22, 2008. | |||
====2009==== | |||
On February 15, at ], ] won the ] in ''Raw'''s ] match, thus making it a SmackDown exclusive title and giving SmackDown two top tier championships.<ref name="edgewhceliminationchamber">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/nowayout/matches/9229100/results/|title=Elimination chamber result at no way out|last=Tello|first=Craig|publisher=wwe.com|accessdate= 2009-02-17}}</ref> As a result of the ] in April, WWE Champion ] was drafted to the Raw brand, while the World Heavyweight Championship moved to the Raw brand after Edge lost the title to ] at ].<ref name="Draft2009">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/04132009/|title=Rough Draft (Televised draft results)|first=Aubrey|last=Sitterson|date=2009-04-13|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-04-14}}</ref> SmackDown would regain the World Heavyweight Championship at ] when Edge defeated John Cena to win the championship.<ref name="LastManStanding">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/backlash/matches/9808960/results/|title= Results:Fueled by hatred and desperation|publisher=]|date=2009-04-26|accessdate=2009-04-26}}</ref> In addition, SmackDown and Raw would exchange both women-exclusive championships with Raw gaining the ] and SmackDown gaining the ].<ref name="Draft2009" /> Also, SmackDown and Raw exchanged the ] which is now exclusive to SmackDown and the ] which is exclusive to Raw Brand, for the first time ever. | |||
On June 15, 2009, McMahon announced on a special three-hour edition of ''Raw'' that he had "sold the show" to ], who appeared on-screen to confirm it and declared he would be at the following commercial-free episode in person. WWE treated the sale as real, even issuing a press release on their corporate site announcing it, but USA Network confirmed the next day that it was ] and part of a storyline. The "sale" was picked up as a real event by many industry sources. The day following the announcement, WWE's stock on the ] fell. On June 22, 2009, Vince McMahon bought back ''Raw'' from Donald Trump for double of what he paid for ''Raw''. Despite USA Network's acknowledgment that the sale was fictional, Randy Katz, a securities lawyer with Baker & Hostetler, told ] that a probe by the ] against WWE and USA Network owner ] "certainly is a possibility."<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/wwe-usa-networks-could-face-sec-probe_1107317|title=Donald Trump - WWE-USA Networks Could Face Sec Probe|date=2009-06-22|accessdate=2009-06-23|publisher=Contact Music}}</ref> After buying ''Raw'' back, McMahon announced that instead of ] being in charge of ''Raw'', each week a different guest host would be in charge. These hosts were either injured or retired wrestlers, ]rs, or celebrities.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/06292009/|title=The Animal's kingdom|last=Sitterson|first=Aubrey|date=2009-06-29| publisher=]|accessdate=2009-07-14}}</ref> | |||
==Production== | |||
The theme song for the Raw brand is "]" by ], which has been used for the Raw brand since November 2, 2009. Prior to this, Raw's theme song was "To Be Loved", by ]. | |||
Since March 10, 1997, broadcasts of ''Raw'' were split into two hours and given hourly names for ], with the first hour being referred to as ''Raw is War'' and the second as ''War Zone'' by the show's on-screen graphics. However, as of October 1, 2001, the first hour has been referred to as ''Raw'' and the second as ''Raw Zone'' by the show's on-screen graphics. However, both hours are known as just "Raw" on-air. | |||
On January 7, 2008, WWE announced that all three brands (Raw, ], and ]) would be broadcast in ], ] "WWE HD" starting with Raw on January 21. WWE invested an estimated $20 million dollars on new recording and broadcasting equipment to prepare for the move, as well as new pyrotechnics and lighting. The move replaced the Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW sets with a new ] set shared by all brands.<ref name="HD">{{cite web|title=WWE Goes HD|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2008/2008_01_14.jsp|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-01-15}}</ref><ref></ref> | |||
===Special episodes=== | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
! Episode || Date || Rating || Notes | |||
|- | |- | ||
!Song title | |||
|''Raw'' Bowl | |||
!Written and/or performed by | |||
|January 1, 1996 | |||
!Dates used | |||
|2.6<ref name=WIA>{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfraw.htm|accessdate=2007-12-28|title= WWE Raw rating history|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive}}</ref> | |||
!Ref | |||
|{{small|}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"Monday Night Raw" | |||
|''Raw'' Championship Friday | |||
|Roger H. Tallman | |||
|September 6, 1996 | |||
|January 11, 1993 – March 3, 1997 | |||
|2.4<ref name=WIA/> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR">{{cite web|url=http://nerdsontherocks.com/wwfwwe-monday-night-raw-warzone-1000th-episode-celebration/|title=WWF/WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW IS WAR(ZONE) 1000TH EPISODE CELEBRATION|work=nerdsontherocks.com|last=Rufus|first=Earl|date=July 22, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=April 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412084052/http://nerdsontherocks.com/wwfwwe-monday-night-raw-warzone-1000th-episode-celebration/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/2|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=May 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518233044/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/2|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"Raw" | |||
|] ''Raw'' | |||
|Roger H. Tallman & ] | |||
|February 3, 1997 | |||
|1993–1995 | |||
|2.6<ref name=WIA/> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/3|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=March 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316030208/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/3|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|First two-hour broadcast.<br/>Featured clips from the ].}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|May 24, 1999 | |||
|March 10, 1997 – March 24, 1997 | |||
|7.2<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings99.htm|title=1999 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref name="Dilbert">{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/18|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=March 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317032313/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/18|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Tribute in memory of ].}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|The ] | |||
|WWE Superstars & Slam Jam | |||
|March 25, 2002 | |||
|March 31, 1997 – March 25, 2002 | |||
|5.4<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings02.htm|title=2002 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/6|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513025723/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/6|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/ThornInYourEye|title=Thorn In Your Eye|work=archive.org|access-date=May 16, 2015}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Start of the ].<br/>Vince McMahon selects the SmackDown roster while Ric Flair selects the Raw roster.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"We're All Together Now" | |||
|''Raw'' X Anniversary | |||
|WWE Superstars & Slam Jam | |||
|January 13, 2003 | |||
|March 31, 1997 – March 25, 2002 | |||
|3.9<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings03.htm|title=2003 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/7|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513000405/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/7|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Award show that celebrated the show's 10th anniversary.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|The ] | |||
|] | |||
|March 22, 2004 | |||
|April 1, 2002 – October 2, 2006 | |||
|4.5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings04.htm|title=2004 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/8|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=March 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316030940/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/8|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|The first Draft Lottery that featured a supplemental draft.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|''Raw'' Homecoming | |||
|] | |||
|October 3, 2005 | |||
|October 9, 2006 – November 9, 2009 | |||
|4.4<ref name="2005 Gerweck">{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings05.htm|title=2005 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/9|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=September 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927022743/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/9|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x92xgm_monday-night-raw-papa-roach-to-be-l_sport|title=Monday Night RAW / papa Roach To be Loved|work=dailymotion.com|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924142847/http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x92xgm_monday-night-raw-papa-roach-to-be-l_sport|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|First three-hour broadcast.<br/>Return to the ].}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|November 14, 2005 | |||
|November 16, 2009 – July 16, 2012 | |||
|4.5<ref name="2005 Gerweck"/> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/10|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=November 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129201936/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/10|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14e3eh_nickelback-burn-it-to-the-ground-theme-song-from-wwe-raw_music|title=Nickelback – Burn It To The Ground (Theme song from WWE-RAW)|work=dailymotion.com|date=September 8, 2013|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924034107/http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14e3eh_nickelback-burn-it-to-the-ground-theme-song-from-wwe-raw_music|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Tribute in memory of ].}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] | |"]" | ||
|] | |||
|December 19, 2005 | |||
|July 23, 2012 (only used for '']'') | |||
|3.7<ref name="2005 Gerweck"/> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/11|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=September 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926225858/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/11|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11jx7a_wwe-raw-theme-song-2013-tonight-is-the-night_music|title=wwe raw theme song 2013 Tonight is the Night|work=dailymotion.com|date=July 5, 2013|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924013214/http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11jx7a_wwe-raw-theme-song-2013-tonight-is-the-night_music|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Christmas from ].<br/>Honored ].}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"The Night"{{ref|1|1}} | |||
|''Raw'' Family Reunion | |||
|] (Kromestatik) | |||
|October 9, 2006 | |||
|July 23, 2012 – July 18, 2016 | |||
|3.8<ref name="2006 Gerweck">{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings06.htm|title=2006 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="NOTR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/12|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=September 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927045808/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/12|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Night">{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/13|title=WWE Monday Night Raw: Ranking the Show's Theme Songs & Opening Montages|work=bleacherreport.com|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=May 16, 2015|archive-date=May 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527210709/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1264513-wwe-monday-night-raw-ranking-the-shows-theme-songs-opening-montages/page/13|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|First ''Raw'' special to feature talent from all three brands.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|December 25, 2006 | |||
|July 25, 2016 – January 22, 2018 | |||
|2.7<ref name="2006 Gerweck"/> | |||
|<ref name="Enemies">{{cite web|url=http://heavy.com/games/2016/07/wwe-monday-night-raw-new-theme-song-into-what-is-enemies-shinedown/|title=WATCH: WWE Debuts New 'Monday Night Raw' Theme Song|work=]|first=Brendan|last=Morrow|location=]|date=July 25, 2016|access-date=July 26, 2016|archive-date=July 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160727163917/http://heavy.com/games/2016/07/wwe-monday-night-raw-new-theme-song-into-what-is-enemies-shinedown/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Christmas from ].<br/>Honored American armed forces.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|] 3-Hour Special | |||
|] | |||
|June 11, 2007 | |||
|January 22, 2018 (only used for '']'') | |||
|3.8<ref name="2007 Gerweck">{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/ratings07.htm|title=2007 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher=Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/wrestling/2018/01/22/monday-night-raw-25-anniversary-opening-montage-wwe|title=WWE Releases Special Opening Montage That Will Open "Monday Night Raw's" 25th Anniversary Show|author=Jimmy Traina|website=]|date=2018-01-22|access-date=2024-06-22}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Featured the ].}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|] 3-Hour Memorial | |||
|Papa Roach | |||
|June 25, 2007 | |||
|January 29, 2018 – September 23, 2019 | |||
|3.8<ref name="2007 Gerweck"/> | |||
|<ref>{{cite tweet|number=960630393580990464|user=WWE|title=The sound of #RAW is reborn. "Born For Greatness" by @paparoach is an #OfficialThemeSong for Monday Night #Raw!}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Memorial to Chris Benoit.<br/>Clip show in international markets.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|''Raw'' 15th Anniversary | |||
|] | |||
|December 10, 2007 | |||
|September 30, 2019 – October 12, 2020 | |||
|4.4<ref name="2007 Gerweck"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/rawxvratings|title=Raw XV heats up ratings|publisher=]|date=2007-12-12}}</ref> | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/wwe-reveals-new-logos-graphics-and-theme-songs-for-raw-and-smackdown-shows/|title=WWE reveals new logos, graphics and theme songs for Raw and SmackDown shows|date=September 24, 2019 |access-date=September 24, 2019|archive-date=September 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924033255/https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/wwe-reveals-new-logos-graphics-and-theme-songs-for-raw-and-smackdown-shows/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Celebrated the show's 15th anniversary.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"]" | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|December 24, 2007 | |||
|October 19, 2020 – November 15, 2021 | |||
|2.5<ref name="2007 Gerweck"/> | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|last1=Staff|first1=PWMania com|title=LIVE WWE RAW RESULTS COVERAGE IN PROGRESS|url=https://www.pwmania.com/wwe-raw-results-october-19-2020|website=PWMania|access-date=20 October 2020|date=20 October 2020|archive-date=October 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020173607/https://www.pwmania.com/wwe-raw-results-october-19-2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Christmas from ].<br/>Honored American armed forces.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"Greatness" | |||
|] | |||
|Vo Williams | |||
|April 21, 2008 | |||
|November 22, 2021 – November 13, 2023 | |||
|3.0 <ref name ="Gerweckratings08"/> | |||
|<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1463677513733787651|last=Williams|first=Vo|user=thisisvo|title=I'm proud to announce that 'Greatness' is now the Official Theme Song for @WWE Raw this season. #WWERaw #Greatness #MondayNightRaw}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|King of the Ring tournament.<br/>Featured talent from all three brands.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] | |"]" | ||
|] & ] | |||
|June 23, 2008 | |||
|January 23, 2023 (only used for '']'') | |||
||3.4 <ref name ="Gerweckratings08">{{cite web|url=http://gerweck.net/ratings08.htm|title=2008 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher =Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|<ref name="I'm Good">{{cite tweet|author=]|user=WWE|number=1617681085717962752|title=Down for the ride? "I'm Good (Blue)" by @DavidGuetta & @BebeRexha is an official theme song of #RAWXXX!|date=January 23, 2023|access-date=January 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124035920/https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1617681085717962752|archive-date=January 24, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| | |||
|- | |- | ||
|"Born to Be" | |||
|''Raw's'' 800th Episode | |||
|] | |||
|November 3, 2008 | |||
|November 20, 2023 – December 30, 2024 | |||
|3.04 <ref name ="Gerweckratings08" /> | |||
|<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1736823645417164892|user=WWEMusic|title=The moment of your life. Listen to the @WWE RAW theme "Born To Be" on your favorite music service: https://linktr.ee/wwemusic}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Celebrated the show's 800th episode.}} | |||
|- | |- | ||
|''']'''{{ref|2|2}} | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|December 8, 2008 | |||
|January 6, 2025 – present | |||
|3.02 <ref name ="Gerweckratings08" /> | |||
|<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grant |first1=Shawn |title=Travis Scott to Appear on WWE’s ‘Monday Night Raw’ Netflix Debut |url=https://thesource.com/2024/11/19/travis-scott-to-appear-on-wwes-monday-night-raw-netflix-debut/ |website=] |access-date=19 November 2024 |date=19 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Andrews |first1=Elias |title=Travis Scott Teases New WWE Song "4X4" Before Monday Night RAW |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/874550-travis-scott-debuts-new-wwe-song-4x4-monday-night-raw-hip-hop-news |website=] |access-date=16 January 2025 |date=6 January 2025}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Slammy Award show.<br/>Featured talent from all three brands.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|April 13, 2009 | |||
|3.73 <ref name ="Gerweckratings09">{{cite web|url=http://gerweck.net/ratings.htm|title=2009 Nielsen Television Ratings|publisher= Gerweck.net|first=Steve|last=Gerweck}}</ref> | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|The 3-For-All | |||
|June 15, 2009 | |||
|3.72 <ref name ="Gerweckratings09"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gerweck.net/news/1245187141.shtml|title=Raw Rating|first=Steve |last=Gerweck|date=2009-06-16|accessdate=2009-06-16|publisher=Gerweck.net}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|Featured talent from all three brands.<br/>Three World Championships were defended; ], ], and ].}} | |||
|- | |||
|] Raw | |||
|June 22, 2009 | |||
|4.5 <ref name ="Gerweckratings09"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2009/1245795784.php|title=Final 6/22 Raw rating (huge number)|first=Adam|last=Martin|publisher=Wrestle View|date=2009-07-23|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|{{small|The first ] broadcast.}} | |||
|} | |} | ||
# {{note|1}} A remixed version was released on August 18, 2014. | |||
# {{note|2}} Bold song titles are currently being used as the opening theme. | |||
== Name-related lawsuits == | |||
==On-air personalities== | |||
The name for ''Raw'' was disputed in June 2009 when Muscle Flex Inc., a ]-based fitness company, had taken legal action against the WWE after a court ruled that some of WWE's trademarks related to ''Raw'' were similar enough to the ''In the Raw'' trademark that they caused confusion among ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidepulse.com/2009/06/29/wwe-may-be-sued-over-raw-trademark/|title=WWE May Be Sued Over Raw Trademark In Canada|work=Inside Pulse|date=June 29, 2009|first=Brad|last=Curren|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208191849/http://insidepulse.com/2009/06/29/wwe-may-be-sued-over-raw-trademark/|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 18, 2008, the ] then issued a final decision that found certain wares listed in the trademark application from WWE (No. 1,153,018) were confusingly similar and thus lacked distinctiveness from the Muscle Flex trademark, which Muscle Flex is in the process of acquiring. The WWE appealed the CIPO's ruling to the ], but failed to file the required documents by the deadline.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/muscle-flex-claims-victory-over-world-wrestling-entertainment-wwe-raw-trademark-dispute-1221525.htm|title=Muscle Flex Claims Victory Over the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) "RAW" Trademark Dispute in Canada|work=Marketwire|date=June 16, 2009|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208170816/http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/muscle-flex-claims-victory-over-world-wrestling-entertainment-wwe-raw-trademark-dispute-1221525.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Champions=== | |||
{{See also|List of current champions in World Wrestling Entertainment}} | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
!Championship||Current champion(s)||Date won||Event||Previous champion(s) | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|October 25, 2009 | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|October 5, 2009 | |||
|''Raw'' | |||
|] | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|October 12, 2009 | |||
|''Raw'' | |||
|] | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] and ]* | |||
|June 28, 2009 | |||
|] | |||
|]<br/>{{small|(] and ])}} | |||
|} | |||
In August 2009, the court ruled in favor of Muscle Flex, Inc. that it was successful in defending its ''In the Raw'' trademark against the WWE. In a press release date issued on July 20, 2009, Muscle Flex Inc. disclosed that it was in possession of WWE ''Raw''-labeled items that it believes directly infringe on its ''In the Raw'' trademark such as various CDs, ], and a number of apparel items. According to the WWE's most recent reported financial quarter in 2009, combined sales of WWE's consumer products and digital media business segments produced $40 million in global revenues. In previous quarters, these numbers were even higher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/Muscle-Flex-Inc-Completes-Acquisition-In-Raw-Trademark-After-Successfully-Defeating-1211239.htm|title=Muscle Flex Inc. Completes the Acquisition of the "In the Raw(R)" Trademark After Successfully Defeating the WWE's1,153,018 in Federal Appeals Court Ending a Multi-Year Dispute in Canada|work=Marketwire|date=August 17, 2009|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208231427/http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/Muscle-Flex-Inc-Completes-Acquisition-In-Raw-Trademark-After-Successfully-Defeating-1211239.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
*Due to ]'s injury, Jericho received the right to pick a new partner. | |||
Similarly, in June 2017, the WWE issued a legal order to Raw Motors, an automobile repair company in ], UK, over a logo that it claims infringes on one of its logos for ''Raw'' that was used from 2006 to 2012.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jarram |first1=Matt |title=Notts business owner prepared to rumble with WWE wrestler to settle legal dispute |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/notts-business-owner-prepared-to-rumble-with-wwe-wrestler-to-settle-legal-dispute/story-30394147-detail/story.html |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=] |publisher=] |date=16 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170619150832/https://www.nottinghampost.com/notts-business-owner-prepared-to-rumble-with-wwe-wrestler-to-settle-legal-dispute/story-30394147-detail/story.html |archive-date=19 June 2017 |location=], ]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jarram |first1=Matt |title=Let's sort this out in the ring! Midland business boss's response to a legal challenge by global wrestling brand over logo design |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/let's+sort+this+out+in+the+ring!+Midland+business+boss's+response+to...-a0496708624 |access-date=25 July 2021 |work=] |agency=] |publisher=] |date=25 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410215409/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/let's+sort+this+out+in+the+ring!+Midland+business+boss's+response+to...-a0496708624 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |location=], ] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
===Authority figures=== | |||
{{See also|Professional wrestling authority figures#"Raw" brand authorities}} | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
! Authority || Position || Date started || Date finished || Notes | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|Owner | |||
|November 9, 2001 | |||
|June 10, 2002 | |||
|{{small|Lost his position as per match stipulation against ].<br/>New General Managers were assigned to Raw and SmackDown in the following weeks.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|Owner | |||
|June 10, 2002 | |||
|June 15, 2009 | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|General Manager | |||
|July 15, 2002 | |||
|December 5, 2005 | |||
|{{small|] served as "Co-General Manager" and "Sheriff" periodically through Bischoff's term.<br/>] served as "Co-General Manager" through December 2003.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|General Manager | |||
|June 11, 2007 | |||
|August 6, 2007 | |||
|{{small|Served as "]" from May 2006 to June 2007.<br/>Served as "Executive Assistant" from August 2007 to January 2008.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|General Manager | |||
|August 6, 2007 | |||
|May 19, 2008 | |||
|{{small|Lost his position as per match stipulation against ].}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|General Manager | |||
|July 28, 2008 | |||
|November 3, 2008 | |||
|{{small|Resigned in November 2008.}} | |||
|- | |||
|]<br/>] | |||
|General Manager | |||
|November 3, 2008 | |||
|November 24, 2008 | |||
|{{small|Control reverted to the McMahons.<br/>The position was claimed by Stephanie McMahon.}} | |||
|- | |||
|Stephanie McMahon | |||
|General Manager | |||
|November 24, 2008 | |||
|April 6, 2009 | |||
|{{small|Took ] on February 23, 2009.<br/>] served as "Interim General Manager" until April 2009.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|General Manager | |||
|April 6, 2009 | |||
|June 8, 2009 | |||
|{{small|Opted to fully take over the position on Raw and resigned as General Manager of SmackDown.<br/>Later resigned from Raw in June 2009.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|Owner | |||
|June 15, 2009 | |||
|June 22, 2009 | |||
|{{small|It was announced that Trump had purchased the Raw franchise from Vince McMahon on June 15, 2009.<ref>http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20090616usa01</ref>}} | |||
|- | |||
|'''Vince McMahon''' | |||
|'''Owner''' | |||
|'''June 22, 2009''' | |||
|'''Present''' | |||
|{{small|McMahon repurchased the franchise on June 22, 2009.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|General Manger | |||
|June 29, 2009 | |||
|Present | |||
|{{small|An intiative established during Donald Trump's period of ownership.}} | |||
|} | |||
== Special episodes == | |||
===Commentators=== | |||
{{Main|List of WWE Raw special episodes}} | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
Throughout its broadcast history, the show has aired episodes that have different themes. Some of them are yearly events such as the ]s. Others include tributes to various professional wrestlers who have recently died or retired from actively performing, as well as episodes commemorating various show milestones or anniversaries such as ], which celebrated the 1000th broadcast. Raw also celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on RAW IS XXX on January 23, 2023. | |||
! Commentators || Dates | |||
|- | |||
|], ] and ] | |||
|January 11, 1993 - April 19, 1993 | |||
|- | |||
|Vince McMahon, ] and Randy Savage | |||
|April 26, 1993 - October 18, 1993 | |||
|- | |||
|Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan | |||
|October 25, 1993 - December 6, 1993 | |||
|- | |||
|Vince McMahon and ] | |||
|December 20, 1993 - March 1994 | |||
|- | |||
|] and Randy Savage | |||
|June 1994 - July 1994 | |||
|- | |||
|] and Randy Savage | |||
|July 1994 - August 1994 | |||
|- | |||
|Vince McMahon and Randy Savage | |||
|March 1994 - May 1994<br/>August 1994 - October 1994 | |||
|- | |||
|Vince McMahon and ] | |||
|October 1994 - August 1996 | |||
|- | |||
|], Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler | |||
|August 1996 - October 1996 | |||
|- | |||
|Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler | |||
|October 1996 - November 1997 | |||
|- | |||
|Jim Ross, ] and Kevin Kelly | |||
|December 1997 - March 1998 | |||
|- | |||
|Jim Ross and ] | |||
|February 2001 - November 2001 | |||
|- | |||
|Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and ] | |||
|June 26, 2005 - October 10, 2005 | |||
|- | |||
|Jonathan Coachman and Jerry Lawler | |||
|October 17, 2005 - October 31, 2005 | |||
|- | |||
|], Jerry Lawler and Jonathan Coachman | |||
|November 7, 2005 - April 16, 2006 | |||
|- | |||
|Joey Styles and Jerry Lawler | |||
|April 23, 2006 - May 1, 2006 | |||
|- | |||
|Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler | |||
|December 1997 - November 1998<br/>April 1999 - February 2001<br/>November 2001 - June 2005<br/>May 8, 2006 - June 16, 2008 | |||
|- | |||
|'''Michael Cole''' and '''Jerry Lawler''' | |||
|November 1998 - April 1999<br/>'''June 30, 2008 - Present''' | |||
|} | |||
==Roster== | |||
===Ring announcers=== | |||
{{Main|List of WWE personnel}} | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
The wrestlers featured on WWE take part in scripted ] and ]. Wrestlers are portrayed as ], ], or ] in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match. | |||
! Ring Announcer || Dates | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|January 1993 - August 2002 | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|April 1997 - August 1999 | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|August 1999 - September 2009 | |||
|- | |||
|''']''' | |||
|March 2007 - June 2007<br />'''September 2009 - Present''' | |||
|- | |||
|} | |||
The primary commentators for ''Raw'' are ] and ]. Additional commentary has been provided by ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and others since its creation. | |||
===Recurring segments=== | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
! Segment || Host || Years || Notes | |||
|- | |||
|The King's Court | |||
|] | |||
|1993 - 1995 | |||
|{{small|In-ring ] segment.}} | |||
|- | |||
|The Heartbreak Hotel | |||
|] | |||
|1994 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.<ref>{{cite book|last=Michaels|first=Shawn|title=Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story|publisher=WWE Books|date=November 2005|pages=189–190|isbn=978-1-4165-2645-2}}</ref>}} | |||
|- | |||
|The Brother Love Show | |||
|] | |||
|1995 - 1996 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.}} | |||
|- | |||
|The Pillman XXX Files | |||
|] | |||
|1997 | |||
|{{small|] segment.}} | |||
|- | |||
|The Love Shack | |||
|] | |||
|1998 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.}} | |||
|- | |||
|Highlight Reel | |||
|] | |||
|2003 - 2005<br/>2008 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.}} | |||
|- | |||
|White Boy Challenge | |||
|]<br/>] | |||
|2003 | |||
|{{small|Five minute match challenge to ] talent.<br/>Discontinued following Mack's defeat by ]}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|]<br/>]<br/>] | |||
|2004 - 2007 | |||
|{{small|WWE Diva Search competition segment.<ref name=corporate>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2004/2004_07_12.2.jsp|title=The Next WWE Diva Ultimately to be Chosen by the Millions of WWE fans Worldwide On September 13|accessdate=2007-07-01|publisher=WWE Corporate|date=July 12, 2004}}</ref>}} | |||
|- | |||
|Masterlock Challenge | |||
|] | |||
|2005 - 2007 | |||
|{{small|] challenge to break Masters' ] hold.<br/>Discontinued after ] broke the hold.}} | |||
|- | |||
|Kurt Angle Invitational | |||
|] | |||
|2005 | |||
|{{small|Three minute match challenge for Angle's ]s.<br/>Discontinued after Angle moved to SmackDown.}} | |||
|- | |||
|Carlito's Cabana | |||
|] | |||
|2005<br/>2007 - 2008 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.<br/>Discontinued after Carlito moved to SmackDown.}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|2005 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.}} | |||
|- | |||
|The Cutting Edge | |||
|] | |||
|2005 - 2008 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.<br/>Discontinued after Edge moved to SmackDown.}} | |||
|- | |||
|Striker's Classroom | |||
|] | |||
|2005 - 2006<br/>2008 | |||
|{{small|In-ring interview segment.<br/>Discontinued after Striker moved to ].<br/>One-time appearance on August 4, 2008.}} | |||
|- | |||
|Kiss Cam | |||
|Various | |||
|2005 - 2009 | |||
|{{small|Audience interaction segment. Originally hosted by ].}} | |||
|- | |||
|'''V.I.P. Lounge''' | |||
|''']''' | |||
|'''2009 - Present''' | |||
|{{small|in-ring interview segment}} | |||
|} | |||
== |
== Broadcast == | ||
In the United States, the show airs ] every Monday at 8 p.m. ] on Netflix. Occasionally, ''Raw'' is aired on same-day tape delay when WWE is on an overseas tour. ''Raw'' is also shown ] on ] in the ] and ],<ref>{{cite news |title=NXT and NXT UK join Raw and SmackDown on BT Sport, the new UK home of the WWE |url=https://sport.bt.com/wwe/nxt-and-nxt-uk-join-raw-and-smackdown-on-bt-sport-the-new-uk-home-of-the-wwe-S11364421557178 |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=] |date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103041702/https://sport.bt.com/wwe/nxt-and-nxt-uk-join-raw-and-smackdown-on-bt-sport-the-new-uk-home-of-the-wwe-S11364421557178 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |quote=NXT and NXT UK join Raw and SmackDown on BT Sport, the exclusive live broadcaster of the WWE's flagship programming in the UK and Ireland from Wednesday 1 January 2020.}}</ref> in a deal which began January 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=WWE and BT Sports announce new partnership |url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2019/06-20-2019 |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=] |date=20 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416154314/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2019/06-20-2019 |archive-date=16 April 2020 |location=], England |quote=WWE® (NYSE: WWE) and BT Sport today announced a new multi-year exclusive pay TV agreement that will make WWE's weekly flagship programming available live in the U.K. and Ireland on BT Sport beginning January 2020.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=De Menezes |first1=Jack |title=BT Sport secure WWE rights from rivals Sky Sports |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/wwe-mma-wrestling/wwe-bt-sport-sky-sports-tv-coverage-broadcast-rights-raw-smackdown-live-box-office-how-much-does-it-cost-a8966836.html |access-date=10 April 2021 |work=] |date=20 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108000449/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/wwe-mma-wrestling/wwe-bt-sport-sky-sports-tv-coverage-broadcast-rights-raw-smackdown-live-box-office-how-much-does-it-cost-a8966836.html |archive-date=8 November 2020 |quote=BT Sport have landed the exclusive rights to show the WWE in the United Kingdom and Ireland, meaning that every pay-per-view event will be shown on BT Sport Box Office from 1 January 2020 along with Raw and Smackdown Live.}}</ref> ''Raw'' airs live in India at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays on ] 1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestling.net/article.php?01-05-Powell-s-WWE-Raw-Live-Review-Dean-Ambrose-vs.-Bray-Wyatt-in-an-ambulance-match-The-Authority-back-in-power-Royal-Rumble-build-continues-first-Raw-of-2015-40364|title=01/05 Powell's WWE Raw Live Review: Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt in an ambulance match, The Authority back in power, Royal Rumble build continues, first Raw of 2015|work=prowrestling.net|access-date=January 6, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106222537/http://www.prowrestling.net/article.php?01-05-Powell-s-WWE-Raw-Live-Review-Dean-Ambrose-vs.-Bray-Wyatt-in-an-ambulance-match-The-Authority-back-in-power-Royal-Rumble-build-continues-first-Raw-of-2015-40364|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/slideshow/wwe-monday-night-raw-preview-5-january-2015|title=WWE Monday Night Raw Preview: 5 January, 2015|author=Renjith Ravindran|work=sportskeeda.com|date=January 4, 2015|access-date=January 6, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106232407/http://www.sportskeeda.com/slideshow/wwe-monday-night-raw-preview-5-january-2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SonyRebranding">{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/media/sony-rebrands-sports-business-launches-2-new-hd-channels/articleshow/59651869.cms |title=Sony Pictures Sports Network rebrands TEN Sports channels |work=The Economic Times |date=18 July 2017 |access-date=July 24, 2017 |archive-date=July 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721172333/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/media/sony-rebrands-sports-business-launches-2-new-hd-channels/articleshow/59651869.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> Since October 6, 2014, ''Raw'' has been airing live throughout ] on ].<ref name="Fox"/> Currently, Raw is broadcast live on ESPN 4 for Central America and on Fox Sports 2 in South America, in Mexico it is broadcast on Fox Sports, in Argentina on Fox Sports 3, in Chile on Fox Sports 1 and in Brazil on Fox Sports 2 and ESPN Extra, (also available on ] for Central and South America).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welschen |first=Dario |date=2022-08-19 |title=La WWE aterriza en STAR+ con sus eventos emblemáticos |url=https://espnpressroom.com/latinamerica/press-releases/2022/08/la-wwe-aterriza-en-star-con-sus-eventos-emblematicos/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=ESPN Press Room Latin America South |language=es}}</ref> The show also airs live on Supersport in South Africa on Tuesdays at 02:00 am CAT. ''Raw'' had aired in Australia on ] since 2003, usually on a 27-hour tape delay, but has started airing live as of February 4, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2014/01/wwe-raw-goes-live-on-fox8.html|title=WWE Raw goes Live on FOX8|publisher=tvtonight.com.au|date=2014-01-23|access-date=2014-01-31|archive-date=January 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127162307/http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2014/01/wwe-raw-goes-live-on-fox8.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ] in the United States started airing a 2-hour replay of ''Raw'' on May 20, 2016. On June 26, 2018, WWE and USA Network announced a five-year contract extension for ''Raw''. The new agreement for the live, weekly three-hour block commenced in October 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/article/monday-night-raw-and-usa-network-extend-long-standing-partnership|title=Monday Night Raw and USA Network extend long-standing partnership|work=]|access-date=July 9, 2018|archive-date=July 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710041039/https://www.wwe.com/article/monday-night-raw-and-usa-network-extend-long-standing-partnership|url-status=live}}</ref> Clips from some WWE shows have also been shown on Fox Sports.com.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/tag/wwe|title=WWE|access-date=October 31, 2020|archive-date=November 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102023828/https://www.foxsports.com/tag/wwe|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{{infobox television | |||
|show_name=WWE A.M. Raw | |||
=== Online streaming === | |||
|image=] | |||
On September 24, 2012, ] signed a multi-year deal with WWE to stream all of the company's TV shows and some of its web series which includes ''Raw''. Episodes of ''Raw'' are available for viewing the following day as a condensed 90-minute version is available, not the full version as shown the previous night on USA Network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2012/digital/news/hulu-plus-pacts-with-wwe-1118059700/|title=Hulu Plus pacts with WWE|access-date=August 15, 2015|publisher=]|work=]|date=September 24, 2012|first=Marc|last=Graser|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112040919/https://variety.com/2012/digital/news/hulu-plus-pacts-with-wwe-1118059700/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|format=] | |||
|picture_format=] (])<br>] (]) | |||
As of December 9, 2016, all episodes of ''Raw'' are available on demand on the WWE Network. Recent episodes are available for on-demand viewing 30 days after their original air date.<ref>{{cite news|last=Goldman|first=Eric|url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2011/09/06/wwe-network-coming-in-2012|title=WWE Network coming in 2012|date=September 6, 2011|access-date=August 15, 2015|publisher=IGN|archive-date=March 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309223809/https://uk.ign.com/articles/2011/09/06/wwe-network-coming-in-2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/wwenetwork/wwe-network-outside-united-states-26533843|title=WWE Network available outside of the U.S. starting Aug. 12|date=July 31, 2014|access-date=August 15, 2015|work=].com|publisher=]|archive-date=July 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724210559/http://www.wwe.com/wwenetwork/wwe-network-outside-united-states-26533843|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|runtime=1 hour | |||
|creator=] | |||
After ] in 2016, WWE began with airing the newest episodes of Raw and ] on ] for countries that do not air WWE programming on traditional TV for free in less than 24 hours after the original broadcast (The links are blocked in countries where the shows are traditionally available). The 90-minute Hulu version gets put on YouTube for international audiences. | |||
|starring=] | |||
|opentheme="]" by ] | |||
As of January 6, 2025, ''Raw'' is exclusively streaming on Netflix in most countries. | |||
|country={{USA}} | |||
|network=] | |||
|first_aired=October 8, 2005<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/archive/amraw1|title=WWE's launches new Saturday morning program|publsher=]|accessdate=2009-09-05}}</ref> | |||
|last_aired=present | |||
|num_episodes=212 (as of October 18, 2009)<ref name=locatetvguide>{{cite web|url=http://www.locatetv.com/tv/wwe-a-m--raw/2069521|title=''WWE AM Raw'' listing|publisher=Locate Tv|accessdate=2009-03-28}}</ref> | |||
|website=http://www.wwe.com/shows/amraw | |||
}} | |||
=== Canada === | |||
'''''WWE A.M. Raw''''', a Saturday night/Sunday morning show, airs on the ] at 2 a.m. ET.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usanetwork.com/sports/amraw/|title=WWE AM Raw About the Show|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-09-04}}</ref> It features segments from the latest episode of ''WWE Raw''. | |||
From 1995 to 2006, ''Raw'' was shown on ] (TSN) until it moved to rival sports broadcaster The Score (now renamed ]) after it was announced that TSN would be carrying '']'' for the 2006 season. This meant that Canadian viewers would have to watch via tape-delay, as The Score did not broadcast ''Raw'' live at that time. Around that time, The Score aired ''Countdown to Raw'' until May 2013 when ''Raw'' is shown live to match the United States airtime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thescore.ca/scoretv/programs.aspx?progID=114|title=WWE Raw on FOX8|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Canada |title=WWE Canada Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608172957/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Canada |archive-date=June 8, 2009 }}</ref> It was also shown on ] in Barrie and ] in Quebec until 2009. | |||
During its run on TSN, which aired ], Raw occasionally had been censored live for extremely violent scenes, or when female wrestlers or ] were assaulted by male wrestlers (particularly one segment that featured the ] assaulting Kitana Baker). These actions are supposed to be in order to meet Canadian broadcast standards, with ] often more ]. This move had disappointed many wrestling fans over the years, and is unusual since the violence of wrestling scenes are not significantly different from other television programs aired on regular Canadian networks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2004/040720A.php |title=CANADIAN BROADCAST STANDARDS COUNCIL NATIONAL SPECIALTY SERVICES PANEL TSN re an episode of WWE |work=cbsc.ca |publisher=] |date=May 11, 2004 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521224601/http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2004/040720A.php |archive-date=May 21, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2004/040720Aappendix.pdf |title=TSN re an episode of WWE (CBSC Decision 02/03-1656, May 11, 2004) |work=cbsc.ca |publisher=] |date=May 11, 2004 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711055113/http://www.cbsc.ca/english/decisions/2004/040720Aappendix.pdf |archive-date=July 11, 2012 }}</ref> | |||
==International broadcasters== | |||
The show currently airs ] on the USA Network (and on ] Wednesdays on ], Saturdays on ], and Sundays on ] in ]) in the United States. Occasionally, ''Raw'' is aired on same-day tape delay when WWE is on an overseas tour. | |||
Due to Rogers holding the rights to the ], ''Raw'' also aired on its ] channel (now Bravo).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/wwe/article/how-to-watch-monday-night-raw-on-april-25-may-2-may-9/|title=How to watch Monday Night Raw on April 25, May 2 & May 9|work=].ca|date=April 24, 2022|access-date=April 25, 2022|archive-date=April 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425091745/https://www.sportsnet.ca/wwe/article/how-to-watch-monday-night-raw-on-april-25-may-2-may-9/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #FCFDFF; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" | |||
!Country || Network || Ref | |||
All archived broadcasts of ''Raw'' were available on the ] until its closure in December 2024. Since January 1, 2025, WWE’s Canadian broadcast rights are held by ]. Select archived episodes are available for streaming on Netflix under the title ''Raw Vault,'' with live broadcasts beginning on January 6. | |||
=== The Middle East === | |||
''Raw'' airs live in the ] region on ] streaming platform Tuesday mornings, and later on the same day, a one-hour version airs on ] at 8 PM ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2022/03-23-2022|title=WWE® & MBC GROUP ANNOUNCE MAJOR BROADCAST PARTNERSHIP IN MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA|access-date=2022-03-23|publisher=]|archive-date=March 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326000240/https://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2022/03-23-2022|url-status=live}}</ref> It also airs on FM1 in Iran and<ref>{{cite web|url=http://schedules.wwe.com/schedules/television/iran.html|title=Iran|access-date=May 16, 2010|publisher=]}}</ref><ref name="Ten Sport Schedule">{{cite web|url=http://www.tensports.com/tvschedule/|title=Sony TEN TV Schedule|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|archive-date=March 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304065059/https://www.sonypicturessportsnetwork.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> on ] and ] in Israel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Israel|title=WWE Israel Scheduling|access-date=August 21, 2009|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616145639/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Israel|archive-date=June 16, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sport1.co.il/?q=schedule|title=Sport 1 Schedule|access-date=August 21, 2009|publisher=]|language=he|archive-date=August 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818202443/http://www.sport1.co.il/?q=schedule|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Raw'' further began airing on S Sport and S Sport Plus in Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/turkey |title=Show Listings – Turkey |work=] |access-date=May 20, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521091603/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/turkey |archive-date=May 21, 2015 }}</ref> | |||
=== Europe === | |||
In Germany, ''Raw'' airs live and is on-demand on the Website of ], only for Bild+ Subscribers and with German commentary on ] every Wednesday at 10pm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2014/3_13_14.jsp|title=WWE and Prosiebensat.1 Announce Multi-Platform Partnership|publisher=]|access-date=April 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407082525/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2014/3_13_14.jsp|archive-date=April 7, 2014}}</ref> In Belgium, ''Raw'' airs on ] (in French) and on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Belgium|title=WWE Belgium Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612234025/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Belgium|archive-date=June 12, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ab3.be/guide-programmes/sport-Catch-RAW-285.aspx|title=''WWE Raw'' on AB3|access-date=October 9, 2009|publisher=]|language=nl, fr, de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922235125/http://www.ab3.be/guide-programmes/sport-Catch-RAW-285.aspx|archive-date=September 22, 2009}}</ref> | |||
In Czech Republic, ''Raw'' airs on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Czech%20Republic|title=WWE Czech republic Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626063800/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Czech%20Republic|archive-date=June 26, 2009}}</ref> | |||
In France, ''Raw'' airs on ] every Wednesday with French commentary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/France |title=WWE France Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609064137/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/France |archive-date=June 9, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nt1.tv/guide-programmes/sport-Catch-RAW-432.aspx|title=WWE Raw Official NT1 Website|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|language=fr|archive-date=August 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823005321/http://www.nt1.tv/guide-programmes/sport-Catch-RAW-432.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In Italy, ''Raw'' airs live on Discovery Plus and with the Italian commentary 7 days after on DMAX. | |||
In Lithuania, ''Raw'' airs on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.btv.lt/laida/132-amerikietiskos-imtynes/3242|title=Amerikietiskos-imtynes|access-date=May 20, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130219004944/http://www.btv.lt/laida/132-amerikietiskos-imtynes/3242|archive-date=February 19, 2013}}</ref> In Poland, ''Raw'' airs on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Poland|title=WWE Poland Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608211053/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Poland|archive-date=June 8, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.extremesportschannel.pl/OnTV.aspx|title=Extreme Sports Channel Television schedule|date=August 21, 2009|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207025638/http://www.extremesportschannel.pl/OnTv.aspx|archive-date=December 7, 2009}}</ref> | |||
In Portugal, ''Raw'' airs live on ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://espanol.wwe.com/worldwide/article/pt/wwe-sport-tv-announce-multi-year-agreement|title=WWE e SPORT TV anunciam acordo para transmitir Raw e SmackDown em Portugal|date=October 24, 2017|publisher=]|access-date=October 24, 2017|archive-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025031530/http://espanol.wwe.com/worldwide/article/pt/wwe-sport-tv-announce-multi-year-agreement|url-status=live}}</ref> with Portuguese commentary. In Romania, ''Raw'' airs on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Romania|title=WWE Romania Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613001123/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Romania|archive-date=June 13, 2009}}</ref> | |||
In Russia, there is currently no broadcaster of the programme.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pwnews.net/news/2020-01-03-15050|title=WWE returns to Russian television and will be broadcast on the Match TV channel! Fighter|access-date=January 12, 2020|archive-date=January 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104053907/https://pwnews.net/news/2020-01-03-15050|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Raw'' previously aired on ] with Russian commentary until 2022, when WWE ceased broadcasting their programs and Premium Live Events in Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://matchtv.ru/edinoborstva/matchtvvideo_NI1134469_translation_WWE_Raw|title=WWE RAW on Матч! Боец|date=January 7, 2020|access-date=January 12, 2020|archive-date=January 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104053939/https://matchtv.ru/edinoborstva/matchtvvideo_NI1134469_translation_WWE_Raw|url-status=live}}</ref> In Serbia, ''Raw'' was airs on ].,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Serbia|title=WWE Serbia Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007082852/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Serbia|archive-date=October 7, 2010}}</ref> like it was airs on ] in ] and on ] in Croatia. | |||
In Spain, ''Raw'' aired on ] every Saturday at 1pm with Spanish commentary.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nieto |first1=Cristina |title=Atresmedia emitirá la programación de 'WWE Raw' y 'SmackDown' en España |url=https://www.formulatv.com/noticias/atresmedia-emitira-programacion-programas-wwe-raw-smackdown-espana-90798/ |website=FormulaTV |access-date=31 October 2019 |language=es |date=29 March 2019 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229064223/https://www.formulatv.com/noticias/atresmedia-emitira-programacion-programas-wwe-raw-smackdown-espana-90798/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, ''Raw'' airs live on ] as well as '']'' and ''].''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-05 |title=WWE Raw debut on Netflix UK start time and live stream with huge returns |url=https://metro.co.uk/2025/01/05/wwe-raw-netflix-livestream-7-22293955/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Metro |language=en}}</ref> | |||
=== Asia and Pacific === | |||
''Raw'' airs live on ] 1 and Sony Ten 1 HD in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.<ref name="Ten Sport Schedule"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bangladesh |title=WWE Bangladesh Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=October 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704112912/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bangladesh |archive-date=July 4, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Sri%20Lanka|title=WWE Sri Lanka Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=March 9, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202211755/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Sri%20Lanka|archive-date=February 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bhutan|title=WWE Bhutan Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704112917/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bhutan|archive-date=July 4, 2009}}</ref> It airs on Ten Sport in Pakistan.<ref name="Ten Sport Schedule"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Pakistan |title=WWE Pakistan Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603212138/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Pakistan |archive-date=June 3, 2010 }}</ref> Raw airs on Mola TV On-Demand in Indonesia.<ref>{{cite web |date=2020-03-27 |title=Segera di Mola TV |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B-PH5A_ldYw |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/mola.sport/2274071041247925808 |archive-date=2021-12-23 |website=Instagram}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In India Raw is aired Live and Replays are available via the ] Service in ] which also provides its own section of ] as a Separate Subscription. | |||
''Raw'' streams live in the Philippines on Blast TV (formerly TapGO) with a live and encore telecast on ] & Blast Sports on the same day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Philippines|title=WWE Philippines Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|archive-date=February 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209042142/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Philippines|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs live on Starhub's Hub Sports 2 in Singapore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/singapore |title=WWE Singapore Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=December 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531220850/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/singapore |archive-date=May 31, 2014 }}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs on Astro's Sport Plus in Malaysia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Astro Content |url=https://content.astro.com.my/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=content.astro.com.my |language=en}}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs both live and delayed on ] and Thursday nights on ] as a one-hour version in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fox8.tv/shows/raw|title=WWE Raw on Fox8's official Website|publisher=]|access-date=May 16, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525133840/http://www.fox8.tv/shows/raw|archive-date=May 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Australia |title=WWE Australia Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628175811/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Australia |archive-date=June 28, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs on ] in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TIMES編集部 |first=ABEMA |date=2023-09-28 |title=「ABEMA」、WWE『RAW』&『SMACKDOWN』を国内独占放送! 中邑真輔「ABEMAでWWE漬けに」 {{!}} 告知 {{!}} ABEMA TIMES {{!}} アベマタイムズ |url=https://times.abema.tv/articles/-/10097209 |access-date=2023-09-29 |website=ABEMA TIMES |language=ja}}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs live on ] and Friday nights on ] as a one-hour version in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/article/wwe-sky-new-zealand-extend-partnership|title=WWE and SKY extend long-standing partnership in New Zealand|author=WWE|date=17 December 2018|access-date=28 December 2018|archive-date=December 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228035153/https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/article/wwe-sky-new-zealand-extend-partnership|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs in ] on various local networks within China<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/china|title=WWE China Scheduling|access-date=December 29, 2011|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110021301/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/china|archive-date=January 10, 2012}}</ref> and ] in Taiwan in both English and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.truevisionstv.com/trueworld.aspx?key=WWE&date=0&w=0&chid=0&pk=0&mode=3|title=WWE program schedules in TrueVisions|publisher=]|access-date=June 6, 2010|language=en, th|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717104953/http://www.truevisionstv.com/trueworld.aspx?key=WWE&date=0&w=0&chid=0&pk=0&mode=3|archive-date=July 17, 2011}}</ref> | |||
''Raw'' airs on ] in ], on ] in Pakistan, and on IB Sports in ]. | |||
=== Latin America === | |||
''Raw'' airs live on ] in Mexico<ref name="Fox"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esmas.com/canal5/|title=Canal 5 Website|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|archive-date=April 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405093928/http://www2.esmas.com/canal5|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Mexico |title=WWE Mexico Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209003431/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Mexico |archive-date=February 9, 2010 }}</ref> and across ] and ].<ref name="Fox">{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2014/2014_9_17.jsp|title=WWE and Fox Sports Latin America Announce Partnership|publisher=]|access-date=October 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018013358/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2014/2014_9_17.jsp|archive-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://espanol.wwe.com/shows/|title=WWE's Spanish Language website|publisher=]|access-date=May 1, 2016|archive-date=April 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429042607/http://espanol.wwe.com/shows|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/WWECorporate-2011.02.23.jsp|title=WWE launches in Brazil|publisher=]|access-date=February 23, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110319154140/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/WWECorporate-2011.02.23.jsp|archive-date=March 19, 2011}}</ref> It also airs on ] in Chile,<ref name="WWE's Chile Schedule">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/chile|title=WWE's Chile Schedule|publisher=]|access-date=March 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102154340/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/chile|archive-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lared.cl/programas/mas/wwe|title=La Red Schedule|access-date=March 18, 2013|publisher=]|archive-date=April 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429010135/http://www.lared.cl/programas/mas/wwe/|url-status=live}}</ref> Unitel in Bolivia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redpat.tv/web%20pat/programacion.php|title=Programacion|access-date=May 16, 2012|publisher=redpat.tv|language=es|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511222211/http://www.redpat.tv/web%20pat/programacion.php|archive-date=May 11, 2012}}</ref> ] in Colombia,<ref name="WWE's Chile Schedule"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006495/en/WWE%C2%AE-Canal-1-Announce-Agreement-Televise-Raw%C2%AE|title=WWE® and Canal 1 Announce Agreement to Televise Raw® and SmackDown® in Colombia|date=August 8, 2017|access-date=August 8, 2017|publisher=]|archive-date=August 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808224559/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006495/en/WWE%C2%AE-Canal-1-Announce-Agreement-Televise-Raw%C2%AE|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://watchwrestling2k.com/watch-wwe-smackdown-live-92518/|title=WWE® and Canal 1 Announce Agreement to Televise Raw® and SmackDown LIVE® in Colombia|access-date=August 8, 2017|publisher=]|archive-date=September 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928221623/http://watchwrestling2k.com/watch-wwe-smackdown-live-92518/|url-status=live}}</ref> ] in Ecuador,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/ecuador|title=WWE Ecuador Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112044833/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/ecuador|archive-date=January 12, 2012}}</ref> ] in Peru,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Peru|title=WWE Peru Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621180912/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Peru|archive-date=June 21, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atv.com.pe/programacion/programacion_portada.asp|title=ATV Television guide|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822024153/http://www.atv.com.pe/programacion/programacion_portada.asp|archive-date=August 22, 2009}}</ref> ] in Costa Rica, Canal VTV in El Salvador,<ref name="Fox"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/El%20Salvador|title=WWE El Salvador Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724162838/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/El%20Salvador|archive-date=July 24, 2009}}</ref> ] in Honduras,<ref name="Fox"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Honduras|title=WWE Honduras Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728053749/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Honduras|archive-date=July 28, 2009}}</ref> RPC Canal 4 in Panama<ref name="Fox"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Panama|title=WWE Panama Scheduling|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090810100017/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Panama|archive-date=August 10, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rpctv.com/programacion/|title=RPC Canal 4 Television guide|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|language=es|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707104158/http://www.rpctv.com/programacion/|archive-date=July 7, 2009}}</ref> and ] in Mexico.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2018/06-01-2018|title=IMAGEN TELEVISIÓN TO TELEVISE RAW® AND SMACKDOWN® IN MEXICO|publisher=]|access-date=June 5, 2018|archive-date=June 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605123457/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/company-news/2018/06-01-2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It is assumed that all of these channels will lose their rights in their respective countries in January 2025 as ] acquired the rights to ''Raw'' in Latin America. | |||
=== South Africa === | |||
Previously the rights to broadcast Raw, along with other WWE shows, were held by free-to-air broadcaster ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,6119,2-1225-1242_1294527,00.html|title=Get ready to rumble|date=2002-12-06|access-date=2006-05-28|publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930220056/http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,6119,2-1225-1242_1294527,00.html|archive-date=30 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Raw would play on Sundays in the evening, with a 7-day delay, edited to one hour and was the most watched program on the channel. However, in 2017 e.tv decided not to renew its broadcasting deal with WWE.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvsa.co.za/default.aspx|title=TVSA – South Africa's TV Website {{!}} TVSA|website=www.tvsa.co.za|access-date=2019-12-20|archive-date=February 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222142510/https://www.tvsa.co.za/default.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The rights were later resold to ] (the initial broadcasters of WWE programming).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/South%20Africa |title=WWE South Africa Scheduling |publisher=] |access-date=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317143459/http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/South%20Africa |archive-date=March 17, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etv.co.za/extended/about/wwe_raw|title=About WWE Raw|publisher=]|access-date=August 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413014606/http://www.etv.co.za/extended/about/wwe_raw|archive-date=April 13, 2010}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=November 2019|reason=Outdated, says e.tv instead of SuperSport.}} | |||
In 2019 SuperSport, along with its parent company ], signed a deal to broadcast the 24-hour WWE channel as a pop-up channel for five months on their ] platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slamforce-africa.com/2019/08/06/dstv-launches-wwe-pop-up-channel/|title=DSTV Launches WWE Pop-Up Channel – SLAMFORCE AFRICA|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-20|archive-date=December 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220071500/https://www.slamforce-africa.com/2019/08/06/dstv-launches-wwe-pop-up-channel/|url-status=live}}</ref> It is now a permanent channel on DStv under the channel number 128 | |||
{{Portal|Television}} | |||
== Broadcast history == | |||
===United States=== | |||
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%" | |||
|+ | |||
!Channel | |||
!Timeslot | |||
!Years | |||
|- | |- | ||
| rowspan="2" |] | |||
| ] | |||
|Monday 9–10 p.m. ]|| January 11, 1993 – February 3, 1997 | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Algeria|title=WWE Algeria Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-09-10}}</ref><ref name="MBC Middle East">{{cite web|url=http://www.mbc.net/portal/site/MBC-PROGRAMS-PORTAL/menuitem.2ba1fb1201d3e0a65ffa0010441800a0/?vgnextoid=a2f3e2bfce2b3210VgnVCM1000008420010aRCRD&lang=ar&programID=a2f3e2bfce2b3210VgnVCM1000008420010aRCRD|title=''WWE Raw'' on MBC's official site|accessdate=2009-10-09|publisher=]|language=Arabic}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| rowspan="3" | Monday 9–11 p.m. ]|| February 10, 1997 – September 18, 2000 | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Argentina|title=WWE Argentina Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] | |||
| ] | |||
|| September 25, 2000 – September 26, 2005 | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fox8.foxtel.com.au/Shows/wwe-raw/index.htm|title=WWE Raw on Fox8's official Website| publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Australia|title=WWE Australia Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| rowspan="3" | ] | |||
| ] | |||
|| October 3, 2005 – July 16, 2012 | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Austria|title=WWE Austria Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-10-09}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|Monday 8–11 p.m. ] | |||
| ] | |||
|| July 23, 2012 – September 30, 2024 | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref name="Ten Sport Schedule"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bangladesh|title=WWE Bangladesh Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-10-09}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
|Monday 8–10 p.m. ] | |||
| ] | |||
|| October 7, 2024 – December 30, 2024 | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Belgium|title=WWE Belgium Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ab3.be/guide-programmes/sport-Catch-RAW-285.aspx|title=''WWE Raw'' on AB3|accessdate=2009-10-09|publisher=]|language=Dutch, French, German}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| |
|] | ||
|Flexible | |||
| ] | |||
|| January 6, 2025 – present | |||
| <ref name="Ten Sport Schedule"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bhutan|title=WWE Bhutan Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|} | |||
==Awards and nominations== | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
|- | |- | ||
! Year | |||
|] | |||
! Award | |||
|] | |||
! Category | |||
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Bulgaria|title=WWE Bulgaria Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gtv.bg/production.php?id=9|title=Primary Power|language=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
! Nominee(s) | |||
! Result | |||
! class="unsortable" | Ref | |||
|- | |- | ||
|2019 | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|] and ] | |||
|TV show of 2019 | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thescore.ca/scoretv/programs.aspx?progID=114|title=WWE Raw on FOX8|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Canada|title=WWE Canada Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate= 2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|''WWE Raw'' | |||
|- | |||
|{{nom}} | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lewis|first1=Hilary|last2=Howard|first2=Annie|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-peoples-choice-awards-nominations-list-full-1236357|title=People's Choice Awards: 'Avengers: Endgame,' 'Game of Thrones,' BTS Among Nominees|date=September 4, 2019|access-date=November 25, 2019|website=]|archive-date=September 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904213113/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-peoples-choice-awards-nominations-list-full-1236357|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Chile|title=WWE Chile Scheduling|accessdate= 2009-08-21|publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chilevision.cl/home/index.php?option=com_programacionchv&task=showcurrentweek&Itemid=880|title=Chilevisión Television Schedule|accessdate= 2009-08-21|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Costa%20Rica|title=WWE Costa Rica Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/?country=Colombia|title=WWE Colombia Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Czech%20Republic|title=WWE Czech republic Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/El%20Salvador|title= WWE El Savador Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] and ] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/France|title=WWE France Scheduling| publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nt1.tv/guide-programmes/sport-Catch-RAW-432.aspx|title=WWE Raw Official NT1 Website|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Finland|title=WWE Finland Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Germany|title=WWE Germany Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sky.de/web/cms/de/select-wrestling-wwe-magazin.jsp|title=WWE Magazine|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Greece|title=WWE Greece Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nova.gr/eng/tvguide.asp?movieid=36248&weekday=21/8/2009&channel=141&r=5564678|title=WWE Raw Scheduling on Nova Sports|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Honduras|title=WWE Honduras Scheduling| publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|], ] and ] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref name="Ten Sport Schedule">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tensports.com/tvschedule/|title=Ten Sports TV Schedule|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/India|title=WWE India Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Pakistan|title=WWE Pakistan Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Israel|title=WWE Israel Scheduling|accessdate= 2009-08-21|publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sport1.co.il/?q=schedule|title=Sport 1 Schedule|accessdate=2009-08-21|publisher=]|language=]}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Italy|title=WWE Italy Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://guidatv.sky.it/guidatv/programma/sport/wrestling/wwe-domestic-raw_112654.shtml?|title=WWE Domestic Raw|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Malaysia|title= WWE Malaysia Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.astro.com.my/channels/schedule_details.asp|title=Astro Super Sport Programming Schedule|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esmas.com/canal5/|title=Canal 5 Website|publisher=]|accessdate =2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Mexico|title=WWE Mexico Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/New%20Zealand| title=WWE New Zealand Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.skytv.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=516|title=WWE on The Box Website|publisher=]| accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Panama|title=WWE Panama Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rpctv.com/programacion/|title=RPC Canal 4 Television guide|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Peru|title=WWE Peru Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atv.com.pe/programacion/programacion_portada.asp|title=ATV Teleivision guide|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jacktv.com.ph/index.php?p=post&id=89|title=WWE Raw|publisher=]|accessdate= 2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Philippines|title=WWE Philippines Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Poland|title=WWE Poland Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.extremesportschannel.pl/OnTV.aspx|title=Extreme Sports Channel Television schedule|date=2009-08-21|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Portugal|title=WWE Portugal Scheduling| publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sporttv.pt/Modalidades/Wrestling.asp|title=Wrestling Listings on Sport TV's official website|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Romania|title=WWE Romania Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=20009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Serbia|title=WWE Serbia Scheduling| publisher=]|accessdate=20009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxtv.rs/total-formati-ispis.php?subaction=showfull&id=1182500807&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&|title=WWE Raw / WWE SmackDown - U.S. Wrestling|publisher= ]|accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/South%20Africa|title=WWE South Africa Scheduling| publisher=]|accessdate=20009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etv.co.za/extended/about/wwe_raw|title=About WWE Raw|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> | |||
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|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/Spain|title=WWE Spain Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=20009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuatro.com/pressing-catch/pressing-catch-en-cuatro/pressing-catch-raw/|title=Pressing catch Raw|publisher=]| accessdate=2009-08-21|language=]}}</ref> | |||
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|] and ]<br/>(Live broadcast) | |||
|] | |||
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/schedules/television/rw/country/United%20Kingdom|title=WWE United Kingdom Scheduling|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,14206,00.html|title=WWE Live on Sky|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-08-21| date=2009-08-18}}</ref> | |||
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==See also== | == See also == | ||
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*{{imdb title|id=0185103|title=WWE Raw}} | |||
*{{imdb title|id=0481460|title=WWE A.M. Raw}} | |||
*{{tv.com show|id=4822|title=WWE Raw}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 18:46, 22 January 2025
Professional wrestling television program For the WWE brand featured on the program, see Raw (WWE brand).
WWE Raw | |
---|---|
WWE Raw logo since January 6, 2025 | |
Also known as | Raw is War (1997–2001) Raw SuperShow (2011–2012) |
Genre | Professional wrestling |
Created by | Vince McMahon |
Written by |
|
Presented by |
|
Starring | Raw roster |
Opening theme | "4X4" by Travis Scott (from January 6, 2025) |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 32 |
No. of episodes | 1652 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Paul Levesque Lee Fitting |
Camera setup | Multi-camera setup |
Running time |
|
Production company | WWE |
Original release | |
Network | USA Network |
Release | January 11, 1993 (1993-01-11) – September 18, 2000 (2000-09-18) |
Network | TNN/Spike TV |
Release | September 25, 2000 (2000-09-25) – September 26, 2005 (2005-09-26) |
Network | USA Network |
Release | October 3, 2005 (2005-10-03) – December 30, 2024 (2024-12-30) |
Network | Netflix |
Release | January 6, 2025 (2025-01-06) – present |
Related | |
WWE Raw, also known as Monday Night Raw or simply Raw, is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE. It currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Netflix. The show features characters from the Raw brand, to which WWE wrestlers are assigned to work and perform. It debuted on January 11, 1993, and is considered to be one of WWE's two flagship programs, along with Friday Night SmackDown.
Since its first episode, Raw has been broadcast live from 209 different arenas, 172 cities and towns, and eleven different nations, mostly in the United States; Raw shows have also been broadcast and taped in Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, as well as Afghanistan and Iraq as part of Tribute to the Troops.
Debuting on the USA Network television channel, Raw moved in September 2000 to TNN, which rebranded to Spike TV in August 2003. On October 3, 2005, Raw returned to USA Network, where it remained until January 6, 2025, when it moved to the Netflix streaming platform, which is scheduled to broadcast the program for a period of at least 10 years. The company's own WWE Network ceased operations in the United States on April 5, 2021, with all content being moved to Peacock, which had most previous Raw episodes until the transition to Netflix in 2025. Raw has also been broadcast globally on other networks since it first began.
History
Main article: History of WWE RawEarly years
Beginning as WWF's Monday Night Raw, the program first aired on January 11, 1993, on the USA Network as a replacement for Prime Time Wrestling, which aired on the network for eight years. The original Raw was sixty minutes in length and broke new ground in televised professional wrestling. Traditionally, wrestling shows were pre-taped on sound stages with small audiences or at large arena shows. The Raw formula was considerably different from the pre-taped weekend shows that aired at the time such as Superstars and Wrestling Challenge. Instead of matches taped weeks in advance with studio voice overs and taped discussion, Raw was a show shot and aired to a live audience, with angles and matches playing out as they happened.
Raw originated from the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center, a small New York City theater, and aired live each week. The combination of an intimate venue and live action proved to be a successful improvement. However, the weekly live schedule proved to be a financial drain on the WWF. From spring 1993 until spring 1997, Raw would tape several week's worth of episodes after a live episode had aired. The WWF taped several weeks worth of Raw from the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York in April 1993, and again in June and October. The first episode produced outside of New York was taped in Bushkill, Pennsylvania in November 1993 and Raw left the Manhattan Center permanently as the show would be taken on the road throughout the United States and had in smaller venues.
The Attitude Era and Spike TV
On September 4, 1995, the WWF's chief competitor World Championship Wrestling (WCW) began airing its new wrestling show, Monday Nitro, live each week on TNT, which marked the start of the Monday Night War. Raw and Nitro went head-to-head for the first time on September 11, 1995. At the start of the ratings war in 1995 through to mid-1996, Raw and Nitro exchanged victories over each other in a closely contested rivalry. Beginning in mid-1996, however, due to the nWo angle, Nitro started a ratings win-streak that lasted for 84 consecutive weeks, ending on April 13, 1998. On February 3, 1997, Raw went to a two-hour format, to compete with the extra hour on Nitro (which had been expanded to two hours in the spring of 1996), and by March 10, it was renamed to Raw Is War. It was also during the time Raw would be aired live more often. After WrestleMania XIV in March 1998, the WWF regained the lead in the Monday Night War with its new "WWF Attitude" brand. The April 13, 1998 episode of Raw Is War, which was headlined by a match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon, marked the first time that Nitro had lost the head-to-head Monday night ratings battle in the 84 weeks since 1996.
On January 4, 1999, Mick Foley, who had wrestled for WCW during the early 1990s as Cactus Jack, won the WWF Championship as Mankind on Raw Is War. On orders from Eric Bischoff, Nitro announcer Tony Schiavone gave away this previously taped result on a live Nitro and then sarcastically added, "That's gonna put some butts in the seats", consequently resulting in over 600,000 viewers switching channels to Raw Is War to see the underdog capture the WWF Championship. This was also the night that Nitro aired a WCW World Heavyweight Championship match in which Kevin Nash laid down for Hollywood Hogan after Hogan poked him in the chest.
On June 28, 2000, Viacom won the landmark deal with the WWF to move all of its WWF programs stemming from the lawsuit action against WWF from USA Network. The new television contract and the subsequent purchase of competitor WCW led to many changes in WWF's programming content. Raw Is War premiered on TNN on September 25, 2000.
WCW's sharp decline in revenue and ratings led to AOL Time Warner selling selected assets such as the WCW name, tape library, and contracts to the WWF in March 2001 for $3 million. The final episode of Nitro, which aired on March 26, 2001, began with Vince McMahon making a short statement about his recent purchase of WCW and ended with a simulcast with Raw on TNN and Nitro on TNT including an appearance by Vince's son Shane. The younger McMahon interrupted his father's gloating over the WCW purchase to explain that Shane was the one who actually owned WCW, setting up what became the WWF's "Invasion" storyline. Following the purchase of WCW and the September 11 attacks, the program was retitled as Raw on October 1, 2001, permanently retiring the Raw Is War moniker in prelude to the upcoming United States invasion of Afghanistan.
In March 2002, as a result of the overabundance of talent left over from the Invasion storyline, WWF instituted a process known as the "brand extension", under which Raw and SmackDown! would be treated as two distinct divisions, each with their own rosters and championships. Shortly thereafter, the WWF was legally required to change the name of the company to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Return to USA Network
The Raw logo used since July 25, 2016. This logo would undergo multiple minor changes since 2019.On March 10, 2005, Viacom and WWE decided not to go on with the agreement with Spike TV (formerly TNN, now Paramount Network), effectively ending Raw and other WWE programs' tenure on Spike TV when their deal expired in September 2005. On April 4, 2005, WWE announced a three-year deal with NBCUniversal to bring Raw back to its former home, USA Network, with two yearly specials on NBC and a Spanish Raw on Telemundo. On the same week as Raw's return to USA Network, Spike TV scheduled Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)'s live Ultimate Fight Night in Raw's old timeslot in an attempt to go head-to-head with Raw.
Since the return to USA Network, Raw has been pre-empted during the U.S. Open, which aired on USA, resulting in Raw to be moved to SciFi, a sister channel to USA, for three years. Since 2016, the two-hour version of that week's Raw has aired on Syfy. In February 2022, Raw temporarily moved to Syfy for two episodes due to USA's coverage (as part of NBC Sports) of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
On the August 29, 2011 episode of Raw, it was announced that performers from Raw and SmackDown were no longer exclusive to their respective brand, thus effectively dissolving the brand extension. On July 23, 2012, Raw aired its 1,000th episode, which also began its permanent three-hour format. On January 14, 2013, Raw celebrated its 20th year on the air. On May 25, 2016, WWE reintroduced the brand split, and a new set with red ring ropes, a brand new stage, used at SummerSlam. Furthermore, the broadcast table was moved to the entrance ramp similar to how it was in 2002–2005. On January 22, 2018, WWE celebrated the 25th anniversary of Raw with a simulcast show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the home of the first Monday Night Raw, the Manhattan Center. On the February 19 episode of Raw, six days before Elimination Chamber, seven participants of the men's Elimination Chamber match, Braun Strowman, Elias, Finn Bálor, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and The Miz, were involved in a Gauntlet match that began with Reigns and Rollins. Strowman won the Gauntlet match by pinning The Miz in what was the longest match in WWE history, lasting nearly two hours.
From March 12, 2020, to August 18, 2020, WWE announced that all of its live programs would air from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida without an audience until further notice beginning with the following day's episode of SmackDown due to the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in the suspension of many professional sports leagues. On the May 25 episode of Raw, NXT trainees were added into live crowds at the Performance Center. In August, all programming was moved to the new, state-of-the-art WWE ThunderDome inside of the Amway Center in Orlando. On May 21, 2021, WWE announced that they will return in front of live fans with a 25 city tour, therefore the July 12, 2021 edition of Raw would be the final WWE ThunderDome show.
Move to Netflix
In September 2023, USA Network announced that SmackDown would return to the network in October 2024 after the expiration of its contract with Fox; it was concurrently reported that the rights to Raw and NXT were on the market with heavy interest among linear networks and digital properties.
On January 23, 2024, TKO Group announced that Netflix would acquire the rights to Raw beginning in January 2025, in what was reported to be a 10-year deal worth $500 million per-year (roughly double the value of WWE's current agreement with NBCUniversal). The agreement will initially cover the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, with other territories to be added in the future. The agreement also gives Netflix rights to all WWE programming outside of the United States (replacing WWE Network), including weekly shows, archive content, and live events. While USA Network's contract for Raw was to expire in October 2024, WWE reached a short-term extension of its agreement with NBCUniversal to keep Raw on the network through the end of the year. From October 7 through December 30, Raw was shortened from three to two hours; wrestling reporter Dave Meltzer stated that this was a request made by USA Network.
With the move to streaming, WWE chief content officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque said that the length of the show on Netflix will be "flexible", and no longer bound to a set runtime as with shows carried on linear television. When asked about the average runtime of each episode, he responded that "for me, the perfect show time is somewhere in the two-and-a-half-hour range. If you had asked me years ago, the two hour shows, you get into them and you don't have the real estate on that program to get everything in there you want to get in, all the stories and characters. Sometimes, it's a good thing because it creates scarcity and opportunity for people to be more over, but sometimes there are things you want to get in there."
Production
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Raw's original set featured red, white, and blue ring-ropes, a blue ring-apron, blue steps, and a small stage made of neon light tubes. In 1995, the entrance way was changed to feature "Raw" in giant letters. Beginning on March 10, 1997, broadcasts of Raw were split into two hour-long blocks, each given its own name for television ratings purposes. The first hour was referred to as Raw Is War, and the second became known as War Zone. These changes were reflected in television listings and, beginning with the June 9, 1997 episode, by the show's on-screen graphics. War Zone initially opened with a repeat of the Raw intro, punctuated with the War Zone logo. On November 24, 1997, the hour received its own distinct opening video, a remixed version of the typical Raw opening.
In 1997, the WWF changed the color of the ring-ropes to red and began printing Raw Is War along the ring in reference to their rivalry with WCW. The stages was updated to feature a 70-foot tall large screen video wall known as the "TitanTron", which consisted of a projection screen with several metal stage trusses and a video projector. The set also initially featured curtains on each side with truss beams and lighting later bearing the "WWF Attitude" banner on the sides. By 1999, the WWF placed a "WWF.com: 'Download This!'" logo on the bottom of the TitanTron and added two vertical sides on the stage along with a USA Network logo on top of the TitanTron.
Raw moved to TNN from USA beginning with the September 25, 2000 episode. The TNN network logo was added atop the TitanTron on the December 11, 2000 episode. Chyron graphics were added to the bottom beginning with the July 2, 2001 episode.
Beginning October 1, 2001, in direct response to the September 11 attacks, the first hour was referred to as Raw instead of Raw Is War, and the second hour was rebranded from the War Zone to the Raw Zone within the show's on-screen graphics. The Monday Night War had ended months earlier with the WWF's purchase of the competing WCW brand. Monday Nitro, which had once gone head-to-head with Raw, aired its final show in March. WWF announcers began generally referring to the entire two-hour block as Raw on-air. Raw updated to a new, industrial-inspired, parallelogram-shaped TitanTron in 2002. Ring apron lettering that had once born Raw Is War slogan was replaced with an advertisement for the WWF website. Around this time, black ring-ropes were occasionally used. Like the previous set, the TNN logo was relocated to the bottom side of the TitanTron. It was subsequently replaced by the Spike TV logo on August 11, 2003, upon network relaunch. During the July 25, 2005 broadcast of Raw in Cleveland, Ohio, a special stage design was built for the John Cena-Chris Jericho Battle of the Bands concert.
The 2002 set was designed by Production Designer Jason Robinson. It featured a larger TitanTron with dimensions of 55 feet wide by 25 feet tall. The expanded structure weighed about 4,000 pounds and requiring three 18,000-watt projector screens to power itself. According to Eric Bischoff on a 2003 episode of WWE Confidential, the show utilized 13 cameras at the time at a cost of $85,000.
On October 3, 2005, as Raw returned to USA Network, the 2002 set was retained but the beams and lighting on the sides were modified. The Spike TV logo was removed from the bottom side of the TitanTron. On October 9, 2006, the show debuted a new logo and opening intro featuring "...To Be Loved" by Papa Roach as its theme song. This logo and intro were retained until November 9, 2009, a period that also saw the changeover to broadcasting Raw in high-definition, which occurred on January 21, 2008.
From November 16, 2009, to July 16, 2012, the theme song for the Raw brand was "Burn It to the Ground" by Nickelback. Prior to this, the theme song for Raw was "...To Be Loved" by Papa Roach, which had been used since October 9, 2006 and "Across The Nation" by The Union Underground which was used from April 1, 2002, to October 2, 2006. The rock and roll outro of "Thorn In Your Eye" featuring Scott Ian of Anthrax was the theme song from March 31, 1997, to March 25, 2002.
On May 17, 2012, WWE and USA Network announced that Raw would switch to a permanent three-hour format beginning with the 1,000th episode on July 23, 2012. Since then, all three hours of the broadcast have been known solely as Raw, though they are still considered three separate programs for Nielsen ratings purposes (as indicated by the on-screen copyright notice shown near the end of each hour). In 2010, WWE retired the red ropes for Raw after thirteen years for an all white scheme, which in 2012 became standard for all WWE programming. In 2012, Raw updated their HD set.
Beginning in mid-2014, this set would also be featured in pay-per-views. From late September through the end of October 2012, the middle rope at all WWE programming was changed to pink due to WWE's alliance with the Susan G. Komen organization for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This was repeated in 2013, from late September to early November, and it was repeated in 2014 from September 29. WWE is one of many organizations who provide financial contributions to the organization in addition to raising awareness among its staff and consumers.
On August 18, 2014, Raw switched to a full 16:9 letterbox widescreen presentation, with a down-scaled version of the native HD feed on a 4:3 SD feed. In conjunction with this, Raw updated its graphics package, with the new WWE logo (first used with the WWE Network's launch in February) now on the lower-right corner of the screen, right next to the word, "Live". At this time, the new WWE logo began appearing on the ring's turnbuckle covers, and USA Network logo moved to the lower-left hand corner of the screen. Additionally, Raw's theme song ("The Night") was modified.
On March 23, 2015, WWE added a small LED board to the left side of the ring on Raw. This LED board was also used at WrestleMania 31. The LED board has since been featured on a sporadic basis, appearing in some weeks and being absent in others. On the 1,000th episode of Raw, "The Night" by Kromestatik debuted as the theme for Raw. "Energy" by Shinedown served as the secondary theme-song until August 18, 2014, when it was replaced with "Denial" by We Are Harlot.
On the September 14, 2015 season premiere of Raw, the middle rope was colored gold. Throughout the month of October 2015, the program once again partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with various stage elements being made pink. On the November 16, 2015, episode of Raw, WWE had a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist attack in Paris, France, on November 13, 2015. Another moment of silence was held months later in June for the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.
On July 25, 2016, the ropes returned to red, the announce table moved back to the top of the stage for the first time since 2005, and a new HD set and graphics were debuted. The new set was almost identical to the set used for SummerSlam 2012 and 2013. After some fans responded negatively to the redesign, the set was revamped four weeks later with a more elaborate and distinctive arrangement. The new set featured the absence of a traditional TitanTron, which had been part of the Raw staging since 1997. In its place was a curved LED banner with several rows of rectangle LED lights behind it. The new set also introduced LED floor panels on the entrance ramp along with LED ring posts. On the January 29, 2018 episode of Raw, new graphics and an updated logo were introduced, which lasted until September 23, 2019.
In September 2021, the ring-ropes changed color from red to white, which was also reflected on SmackDown. On November 22 of that year, an updated version of the 2019 logo was introduced, alongside new graphics. The theme song was changed to "Greatness" by Vo Williams, which remained its theme song until November 20, 2023, when it was changed to "Born to Be" by def rebel, the artist behind WWE's music input for its programming, which is performed by Supreme Madness. Bumper themes included "Survival", "Eye of an Warrior" and "Legacy".
In February 2022, Raw and NXT temporarily moved to Syfy in the United States due to USA Network broadcasting coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics. A similar arrangement occurred in August 2024 for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Theme music
Song title | Written and/or performed by | Dates used | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
"Monday Night Raw" | Roger H. Tallman | January 11, 1993 – March 3, 1997 | |
"Raw" | Roger H. Tallman & Jim Johnston | 1993–1995 | |
"The Beautiful People" | Marilyn Manson | March 10, 1997 – March 24, 1997 | |
"Thorn in Your Eye" | WWE Superstars & Slam Jam | March 31, 1997 – March 25, 2002 | |
"We're All Together Now" | WWE Superstars & Slam Jam | March 31, 1997 – March 25, 2002 | |
"Across the Nation" | The Union Underground | April 1, 2002 – October 2, 2006 | |
"...To Be Loved" | Papa Roach | October 9, 2006 – November 9, 2009 | |
"Burn It to the Ground" | Nickelback | November 16, 2009 – July 16, 2012 | |
"Tonight Is the Night" | Outasight | July 23, 2012 (only used for Raw 1000) | |
"The Night" | CFO$ (Kromestatik) | July 23, 2012 – July 18, 2016 | |
"Enemies" | Shinedown | July 25, 2016 – January 22, 2018 | |
"My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" | Fall Out Boy | January 22, 2018 (only used for Raw 25 Years) | |
"Born for Greatness" | Papa Roach | January 29, 2018 – September 23, 2019 | |
"Legendary" | Skillet | September 30, 2019 – October 12, 2020 | |
"The Search" | NF | October 19, 2020 – November 15, 2021 | |
"Greatness" | Vo Williams | November 22, 2021 – November 13, 2023 | |
"I'm Good (Blue)" | David Guetta & Bebe Rexha | January 23, 2023 (only used for Raw is XXX) | |
"Born to Be" | def rebel | November 20, 2023 – December 30, 2024 | |
"4X4" | Travis Scott | January 6, 2025 – present |
- A remixed version was released on August 18, 2014.
- Bold song titles are currently being used as the opening theme.
Name-related lawsuits
The name for Raw was disputed in June 2009 when Muscle Flex Inc., a Los Angeles-based fitness company, had taken legal action against the WWE after a court ruled that some of WWE's trademarks related to Raw were similar enough to the In the Raw trademark that they caused confusion among Canadians. On June 18, 2008, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office then issued a final decision that found certain wares listed in the trademark application from WWE (No. 1,153,018) were confusingly similar and thus lacked distinctiveness from the Muscle Flex trademark, which Muscle Flex is in the process of acquiring. The WWE appealed the CIPO's ruling to the Federal Court of Canada, but failed to file the required documents by the deadline.
In August 2009, the court ruled in favor of Muscle Flex, Inc. that it was successful in defending its In the Raw trademark against the WWE. In a press release date issued on July 20, 2009, Muscle Flex Inc. disclosed that it was in possession of WWE Raw-labeled items that it believes directly infringe on its In the Raw trademark such as various CDs, VHS tapes, and a number of apparel items. According to the WWE's most recent reported financial quarter in 2009, combined sales of WWE's consumer products and digital media business segments produced $40 million in global revenues. In previous quarters, these numbers were even higher.
Similarly, in June 2017, the WWE issued a legal order to Raw Motors, an automobile repair company in Colwick, UK, over a logo that it claims infringes on one of its logos for Raw that was used from 2006 to 2012.
Special episodes
Main article: List of WWE Raw special episodesThroughout its broadcast history, the show has aired episodes that have different themes. Some of them are yearly events such as the Slammy Awards. Others include tributes to various professional wrestlers who have recently died or retired from actively performing, as well as episodes commemorating various show milestones or anniversaries such as Raw 1000, which celebrated the 1000th broadcast. Raw also celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on RAW IS XXX on January 23, 2023.
Roster
Main article: List of WWE personnelThe wrestlers featured on WWE take part in scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers are portrayed as heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match.
The primary commentators for Raw are Michael Cole and Pat McAfee. Additional commentary has been provided by Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Jonathan Coachman, Joey Styles, Tom Phillips, Kevin Patrick, Joe Tessitore and others since its creation.
Broadcast
In the United States, the show airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. Occasionally, Raw is aired on same-day tape delay when WWE is on an overseas tour. Raw is also shown live on TNT Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in a deal which began January 2020. Raw airs live in India at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays on Sony Ten 1. Since October 6, 2014, Raw has been airing live throughout Latin America on Fox Sports. Currently, Raw is broadcast live on ESPN 4 for Central America and on Fox Sports 2 in South America, in Mexico it is broadcast on Fox Sports, in Argentina on Fox Sports 3, in Chile on Fox Sports 1 and in Brazil on Fox Sports 2 and ESPN Extra, (also available on Star+ for Central and South America). The show also airs live on Supersport in South Africa on Tuesdays at 02:00 am CAT. Raw had aired in Australia on Fox8 since 2003, usually on a 27-hour tape delay, but has started airing live as of February 4, 2014. Syfy in the United States started airing a 2-hour replay of Raw on May 20, 2016. On June 26, 2018, WWE and USA Network announced a five-year contract extension for Raw. The new agreement for the live, weekly three-hour block commenced in October 2019. Clips from some WWE shows have also been shown on Fox Sports.com.
Online streaming
On September 24, 2012, Hulu signed a multi-year deal with WWE to stream all of the company's TV shows and some of its web series which includes Raw. Episodes of Raw are available for viewing the following day as a condensed 90-minute version is available, not the full version as shown the previous night on USA Network.
As of December 9, 2016, all episodes of Raw are available on demand on the WWE Network. Recent episodes are available for on-demand viewing 30 days after their original air date.
After WrestleMania 32 in 2016, WWE began with airing the newest episodes of Raw and SmackDown on YouTube for countries that do not air WWE programming on traditional TV for free in less than 24 hours after the original broadcast (The links are blocked in countries where the shows are traditionally available). The 90-minute Hulu version gets put on YouTube for international audiences.
As of January 6, 2025, Raw is exclusively streaming on Netflix in most countries.
Canada
From 1995 to 2006, Raw was shown on The Sports Network (TSN) until it moved to rival sports broadcaster The Score (now renamed Sportsnet 360) after it was announced that TSN would be carrying Monday Night Football for the 2006 season. This meant that Canadian viewers would have to watch via tape-delay, as The Score did not broadcast Raw live at that time. Around that time, The Score aired Countdown to Raw until May 2013 when Raw is shown live to match the United States airtime. It was also shown on CKVR-TV in Barrie and CKMI-TV in Quebec until 2009.
During its run on TSN, which aired live, Raw occasionally had been censored live for extremely violent scenes, or when female wrestlers or characters were assaulted by male wrestlers (particularly one segment that featured the 3-Minute Warning assaulting Kitana Baker). These actions are supposed to be in order to meet Canadian broadcast standards, with repeat broadcasts often more heavily edited. This move had disappointed many wrestling fans over the years, and is unusual since the violence of wrestling scenes are not significantly different from other television programs aired on regular Canadian networks.
Due to Rogers holding the rights to the National Hockey League broadcasts, Raw also aired on its OLN channel (now Bravo).
All archived broadcasts of Raw were available on the WWE Network until its closure in December 2024. Since January 1, 2025, WWE’s Canadian broadcast rights are held by Netflix. Select archived episodes are available for streaming on Netflix under the title Raw Vault, with live broadcasts beginning on January 6.
The Middle East
Raw airs live in the MENA region on Shahid streaming platform Tuesday mornings, and later on the same day, a one-hour version airs on MBC Action at 8 PM Egypt Standard Time. It also airs on FM1 in Iran and on Sport 1 and Sport 1 HD in Israel. Raw further began airing on S Sport and S Sport Plus in Turkey.
Europe
In Germany, Raw airs live and is on-demand on the Website of Bild, only for Bild+ Subscribers and with German commentary on ProSieben MAXX every Wednesday at 10pm. In Belgium, Raw airs on ABXplore (in French) and on Play6.
In Czech Republic, Raw airs on Nova Sport.
In France, Raw airs on AB1 every Wednesday with French commentary.
In Italy, Raw airs live on Discovery Plus and with the Italian commentary 7 days after on DMAX.
In Lithuania, Raw airs on BTV. In Poland, Raw airs on Extreme Sports Channel.
In Portugal, Raw airs live on Sport TV with Portuguese commentary. In Romania, Raw airs on Telekom Sport.
In Russia, there is currently no broadcaster of the programme. Raw previously aired on Match! Fighter with Russian commentary until 2022, when WWE ceased broadcasting their programs and Premium Live Events in Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In Serbia, Raw was airs on Prva Srpska Televizija., like it was airs on OBN in Bosnia and Herzegovina and on RTL 2 in Croatia.
In Spain, Raw aired on Mega every Saturday at 1pm with Spanish commentary.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Raw airs live on Netflix as well as Smackdown and NXT.
Asia and Pacific
Raw airs live on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 1 HD in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. It airs on Ten Sport in Pakistan. Raw airs on Mola TV On-Demand in Indonesia. In India Raw is aired Live and Replays are available via the Over-The-Top Service in SonyLiv which also provides its own section of WWE Network as a Separate Subscription.
Raw streams live in the Philippines on Blast TV (formerly TapGO) with a live and encore telecast on TAP Sports & Blast Sports on the same day.
Raw airs live on Starhub's Hub Sports 2 in Singapore.
Raw airs on Astro's Sport Plus in Malaysia.
Raw airs both live and delayed on Fox8 and Thursday nights on 9Go! as a one-hour version in Australia.
Raw airs on Abema in Japan.
Raw airs live on Sky 5 and Friday nights on Sky Open as a one-hour version in New Zealand.
Raw airs in China on various local networks within China and Videoland Television Network in Taiwan in both English and Thai.
Raw airs on ViuTVsix in Hong Kong, on Ten Sports in Pakistan, and on IB Sports in South Korea.
Latin America
Raw airs live on Fox Sports in Mexico and across Central and South America. It also airs on La Red in Chile, Unitel in Bolivia, Canal Uno in Colombia, Teleamazonas in Ecuador, Andina de Televisión in Peru, Repretel: Canal 11 in Costa Rica, Canal VTV in El Salvador, Canal 5 in Honduras, RPC Canal 4 in Panama and Imagen Televisión in Mexico. It is assumed that all of these channels will lose their rights in their respective countries in January 2025 as Netflix acquired the rights to Raw in Latin America.
South Africa
Previously the rights to broadcast Raw, along with other WWE shows, were held by free-to-air broadcaster e.tv. Raw would play on Sundays in the evening, with a 7-day delay, edited to one hour and was the most watched program on the channel. However, in 2017 e.tv decided not to renew its broadcasting deal with WWE. The rights were later resold to SuperSport (the initial broadcasters of WWE programming).
In 2019 SuperSport, along with its parent company MultiChoice, signed a deal to broadcast the 24-hour WWE channel as a pop-up channel for five months on their DStv platform. It is now a permanent channel on DStv under the channel number 128
Broadcast history
United States
Channel | Timeslot | Years |
---|---|---|
USA | Monday 9–10 p.m. ET | January 11, 1993 – February 3, 1997 |
Monday 9–11 p.m. ET | February 10, 1997 – September 18, 2000 | |
TNN/Spike TV | September 25, 2000 – September 26, 2005 | |
USA | October 3, 2005 – July 16, 2012 | |
Monday 8–11 p.m. ET | July 23, 2012 – September 30, 2024 | |
Monday 8–10 p.m. ET | October 7, 2024 – December 30, 2024 | |
Netflix | Flexible | January 6, 2025 – present |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 45th People's Choice Awards | TV show of 2019 | WWE Raw | Nominated |
See also
Notes
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