The Netflix era of WWE Raw is officially in full swing, with the company having already aired two episodes of its flagship program on the world’s biggest streaming platform. However, just two weeks in, a major talking point has emerged: the show’s runtime. The debut episode on January 6 clocked in at just over three hours, but the January 13 episode was noticeably shorter, running just two hours and 30 minutes. This has led many fans to speculate whether WWE plans to lock in a specific runtime for Raw going forward or if it will vary week to week.
Triple H’s Vision for the Perfect Runtime
According to a recent report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque has a very specific vision for Raw’s runtime. Sources told Dave Meltzer that Triple H believes two hours and 30 minutes is the “sweet spot” for the show—long enough to deliver compelling matches and storylines without dragging on. This vision seems to have directly influenced the January 13 episode, which hit that exact runtime.
However, sticking to this target hasn’t been without challenges. To meet the two-and-a-half-hour mark for the January 13 show, certain segments reportedly had to be cut, including a debut match and post-match promo from Penta. Despite these cuts, it’s unclear whether Netflix imposes strict guidelines on WWE’s runtimes. Meltzer speculated that Netflix may be flexible, as both episodes aired so far have exceeded their planned lengths by a few minutes.
The International Difference
While U.S. audiences are adjusting to Raw’s shorter format on Netflix, international viewers are still being presented with the show as a three-hour broadcast. This is because Raw continues to air on traditional TV networks around the world, where commercial breaks extend the runtime. To accommodate this, WWE has reportedly been filming additional backstage interviews and segments that don’t appear on the Netflix version. These extra scenes help pad the runtime for international audiences while providing content to fill commercial gaps.
What Does This Mean for Fans?
For now, it seems fans in the U.S. will enjoy a more streamlined version of Raw on Netflix, while international viewers will continue to see the full-length three-hour version. Whether this shorter runtime will lead to tighter storytelling and fewer filler segments remains to be seen, but Triple H’s focus on quality over quantity is a promising step.
One thing is certain: as WWE continues to adapt to the streaming landscape, changes like these are inevitable. Whether Raw’s Netflix era ultimately reshapes the entire format of WWE’s programming—or just serves as a platform-specific experiment—remains one of the most intriguing stories to watch in 2025.
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