Look, trying to figure out the wwe monday night raw show time lately has been a total headache. One week you’re sitting down at 8 p.m. with your snacks ready, and the next, you realize the show actually started an hour ago because of some random NFL overlap or an international tour. It’s wild. Since the massive move to Netflix in early 2025, the old rules of "appointment television" basically went out the window. We used to just rely on the USA Network schedule, but now? It's a bit of a moving target.
Honestly, the standard slot hasn't disappeared completely. Most weeks, you can still catch the red brand live at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). But "standard" is a loose term in 2026. Netflix doesn't have the same rigid "top of the hour" requirements that cable does, so Triple H and the creative team have been playing around with the format. Sometimes the show runs two and a half hours; sometimes it stretches past three if a main event needs the extra breathing room.
The Netflix Effect on WWE Monday Night Raw Show Time
When WWE signed that massive $5 billion deal, everyone knew things would change, but the scheduling has been the most visible shift. Because Netflix is a global beast, they aren't just thinking about fans in New York or Chicago anymore. They’re thinking about the 300 million-plus subscribers worldwide.
Take the recent European tour in January 2026. On January 12, the show aired at 2 p.m. ET because they were live in Düsseldorf, Germany. Then, a week later on January 19, the wwe monday night raw show time shifted again to 3 p.m. ET for a taping in Belfast. If you weren't checking your notifications, you probably missed CM Punk and Finn Bálor going at it in the afternoon.
It’s basically a trade-off. We get fewer commercials and a more "uncensored" feel, but we have to be way more vigilant about when the stream actually starts.
Why the start time fluctuates
- Monday Night Football: During the fall, WWE and Netflix have been experimenting with a 7 p.m. ET start time to get a jump on the NFL. It’s smart business, but annoying for fans in California who have to rush home from work by 4 p.m. to see the opening segment.
- Global Locations: With Raw going to places like Saudi Arabia, London, and Perth, the live broadcast often hits at weird hours for U.S. viewers.
- The "Flexible" Runtime: Netflix isn't kicking WWE off the air to show a rerun of Law & Order. If a match is cooking, they just let it go. This means the end time is rarely the same two weeks in a row.
How to Actually Catch the Show Live
If you're still confused about where to go, it's pretty simple now. You just open the Netflix app. You don't need a cable login or a fancy digital antenna anymore. Just search "Raw" and look for the "Live" tag.
A cool feature they’ve leaned into is the "Remind Me" button. I highly recommend using it. Since the wwe monday night raw show time isn't set in stone, that push notification is often the only reason I don't miss the first match. Also, if you’re late, you can just hit "Watch from Beginning" while the show is still live. It’s a lifesaver when you get stuck in traffic and miss the opening promo.
Breaking Down the 2026 Schedule
I've noticed a pattern lately. While the 8 p.m. slot is the "home base," the outliers are becoming more common. For example, the huge Stranger Things crossover episode at the Barclays Center on January 5, 2026, stuck to the 8 p.m. slot, but it was massive in terms of production. We had Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky winning the tag titles in a match that felt like a mini-PLE.
Then you have the upcoming Road to WrestleMania. Usually, during this stretch, the shows get longer. Expect more of those 3-hour-plus marathons where the main event doesn't even walk the ramp until 10:45 p.m.
Dealing with Spoilers and On-Demand Viewing
One of the biggest gripes people have—and I totally get it—is the spoiler situation when the show airs at odd times. If Raw starts at 2 p.m. on a Monday because they're in Europe, your Twitter/X feed is going to be a minefield by the time you get off work at 5 p.m.
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The good news is that the VOD (Video on Demand) version is usually up almost instantly after the live stream ends. However, there’s been some drama with Netflix editing the replays. In 2025, fans noticed that some of the "dead air" during commercial breaks (where the live crowd just sees the wrestlers resting) was getting trimmed out of the replays. It makes the show tighter, but purists who want every second of the action have been a bit vocal about it.
Regional Variations
It's important to note that while Netflix is the home for Raw in the U.S., Canada, and the UK, some regions still have different deals. But for the vast majority of us, the days of flipping through channels are over.
Actionable Steps for the WWE Fan
To make sure you never miss a minute of the action given the shifting wwe monday night raw show time, follow these steps:
- Check the "Coming Soon" Tab: Every Sunday night, go into the Netflix app and check the start time for the following night. Don't assume it's 8 p.m.
- Enable App Notifications: Turn on "New Content" alerts for Netflix on your phone. They send a "WWE Raw is Live" notification the second the cameras start rolling.
- Use the Search Bar: If you don't see the live feed on your home screen, search for "WWE" manually. Sometimes the algorithm buries the live event under Stranger Things or whatever else is trending.
- Sync Your Calendar: Many fans have started using third-party wrestling calendar imports (like those from WrestleCal) that automatically update your Google or iCal with the correct local start times for every episode.
The landscape has changed, and while it's a bit more work to keep track of, the production quality we're getting in return is hard to argue with. Just keep your phone handy and keep an eye on those time zones.