With the upcoming debut of Raw on Netflix, the WWE couldn’t miss out on getting the fans in the mood and moving the main storylines forward. The Raw on Netflix: Kickoff aired on WWE’s digital platforms on December 18, 2024, and was every bit as good as pro wrestling fans have come to expect from WWE programming over the past year.

CM Punk and Seth Rollins were the clear highlights, and their match will certainly be the biggest draw for the first Raw on Netflix on January 6th. Kevin Owens once again proved why he is the best heel in pro wrestling right now, while Gunther was his usual, dominant and charismatic self. Overall, this kickoff show did what it was supposed to do: it got fans excited for January 6th and laid the groundwork for future stories. Here are the absolutely must-see moments.

6 Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley happens in Raw debut on Netflix

Will Liv survive again?

Adam Pearce made it official during the Raw on Netflix: Kickoff show: Liv must defend her world title against Rhea during the first episode of Raw on Netflix. This isn’t the biggest surprise since the blood feud between these two women must come to an end at some point, but Michael Cole’s joyous reaction to the announcement is already meme-worthy.

It will be interesting to see the outcome of this game. Liv is without a doubt the standout superstar of 2024, and she has done an incredible job as women’s champion. However, Rhea is still as popular as ever, and it’s hard to keep such a magnetic babyface away from the title for too long. It’s also possible that this continues until WrestleMania, where WWE could grace us with their first ever intergender match where Rhea finally gets her hands on Dirty Dom.

5 The tribal battle will decide once and for all who the tribal chief is

Is this chapter of the Bloodline story coming to an end?

There’s no denying that the Bloodline story is the gift that keeps on giving, but the fact that Roman vs. Solo for the title of Tribal Chieftain isn’t the most exciting match to come out of Raw’s Netflix debut is the best possible tribute to the quality of WWE programming recently. Maybe it’s the fact that we just saw the two bloodlines clash at Survivor Series, but it’s hard not to see this as just an excuse to get Roman on TV.

However, fans should keep in mind that this could be the final page of the current chapter of the Bloodline story everything is possible. If Solo wins, that means his bloodline is THE bloodline and Roman will have to find another way to be relevant – which could be an exciting development in itself. If Roman wins, will his bloodline come back together? Jey and Sami are now established single stars, so it’s hard to imagine them working in a faction full-time again. One thing is for sure: this isn’t over yet (lucky for us fans).

4 Logan Paul is aiming for the world heavyweight title

The polarizing superstar is now a member of the Raw roster

If Kevin Owens could win the Best Heel award because of his incredible work over the last month, Logan Paul could easily snag it too because of his consistency. Paul’s praise has been said often enough, but it’s worth reiterating how good he is for a person who has literally just gotten into the business. “You will keep watching because you are a spectator and I am a star” is possibly the coldest sentence anyone has ever delivered to an audience.

Logan Paul’s announcement that He is aiming for the world heavyweight title has already polarized fans. No matter how good he is in the ring or on the microphone, he is still perceived as a celebrity and an underdog, so becoming champion would certainly cause an uproar among some fans, especially since he would have to beat the most legitimate wrestler in recent years ever adorned the WWE ring. Speaking of which…

3 Gunther will knock the grin off Logan’s face

The champ has to improve

Gunther has been in a bit of a strange situation lately. There’s no denying that he’s doing everything he’s supposed to do as world champion, but it’s also true that he’s not the main star of the show. The rivalry between CM Punk and Seth Rollins is in the spotlight The Ring General needs to step up his game if he really wants to be, as Michael Cole said, the man to lead Raw into the Netflix era.

Logan Paul might be just the man to help Gunther with this. He is a mainstream star whose popularity is undeniable, and he will certainly bring more attention to the product. He is also a good ring worker who continues to improve over time even if he doesn’t wrestle every night. He could be a great opponent for Gunther, but the thought that WWE could pull the trigger and make Logan Paul the real champion of the Netflix era is always there.

2 Kevin Owens is the WWE Champion (?)

KO finally does what KO does best

It’s been a long time since someone in WWE programming stole a championship belt. It’s an old trick, but it works well precisely because it’s used sparingly. The fact that the belt Owens stole is the legendary Winged Eagle belt that Cody Rhodes has worked so hard to bring back just makes it even more entertaining. Owens’ exchange with Michael Cole was golden as always, and KO’s declaration that December 26th will be his “first appearance as WWE Champion” was the icing on the cake. If Owen keeps doing what he’s doing and acting like he’s the WWE Champion, this story can only get better.

Owens’ presence is a bit strange since he is technically on the SmackDown roster, but it should be remembered that outside of the US, SmackDown also airs on Netflix, so it made sense for WWE to push this storyline during this kickoff. No matter how popular KO is as a babyface, his heel work is at Mount Rushmore level and he would be a perfect candidate to end Cody’s first championship reign.

1 CM Punk and Seth Rollins reignite the 2025 feud

Hopefully this doesn’t end on January 6th

If Punk vs. McIntiyre was an easy contender for the feud of 2024, The Seth Rollins story has the potential to surpass itsimply because the real issues make it much more personal. WWE and pro wrestling in general are at their best when they blur the line between fiction and reality. It’s very difficult to achieve this these days, and that’s why building stories around real-life hostilities has almost always produced great results. When Punk and Rollins attack each other, whether with insults or with fists, the audience can sense that they’re not quite acting. This has echoes of Edge vs. Matt Hardy in 2005, and that’s a pretty good compliment.

Punk vs. Rollins will certainly be the main event of the debut Netflix show (unless WWE finds a worthy opponent for Gunther in the meantime and decides to give the world title the space it deserves). If the feud with Drew was any indication, WWE knows how to make the most of these blood rivalries, so hopefully January 6th will be just the first step. With the Royal Rumble just around the corner, this rivalry will certainly impact this match and potentially extend all the way to WrestleMania. Does this mean another mania, even for punk, that is not in the foreground? Or will this match be the highlight of Night 1? Only time will tell, but what is certain is that there probably isn’t a better time for it WWE fan than now.