EA’s Weekly RAW YouTube Report (12/24/18)

A look at the YouTube performance for this week’s WWE RAW!

As we all know, social media and other outlets have become a huge means of drawing in interaction and viewers for WWE. Most people will point to television ratings like they did during the Monday Night Wars in the late 1990’s, however that can be skewed with so many various means of watching today that do not include cable television.

As you’ve become accustomed to, here is this week’s RAW YouTube Report (2:30 PM EST, 12/26/18):

1. RAW Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey vs. Natalya – 1.8 million views
2. “Santa” helps Heath Slater fight off Jinder Mahal – 1.2 million views
3. Braun Strowman confronts Paul Heyman – 1 million views
4. Seth Rollins vs. Baron Corbin – 986k views
5. Miracle On 34th Street Fight: Bobby Lashley vs. Elias – 892k views
6. Finn Balor vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre – 601k views
7. Mr. McMahon announces Women’s Tag Titles – 468k views

‘Twas the night before Christmas and on Monday Night RAW, YouTube views are healthy, but unusual with no double draws! Alright, maybe my rhyme was a bit of a reach, but this week’s YouTube Report is a little different than most weeks with no Superstar having more than one clip in our rankings. Taking back number one this week was the main event and weekly top draw, Ronda Rousey. Surprisingly, you would think that perhaps views would suffer overall this week due to the show being pre-recorded and fans having access to spoilers. Although on the other hand, seeing is always better than reading, right? Apologies to the bookworms out there.

A bit of a strange clip at number two this week, as ‘The Man Beast’ Rhyno returns to RAW to help out Heath Slater, all while dressed as Jolly Old St. Nick. Does this mean Rhyno is back for good? We already heard him address the rumors he announced his retirement after his “firing” from the red brand (see that story here). Either way, maybe it’s the Santa thing on Christmas Eve or because it was the return of Rhyno, but the fact that 1.2 million made a point to check it out is nothing short of a shocker.

Coming in at third is RAW’s weekly top draw for the male Superstars (I don’t count Lesnar since he’s not there every week), Braun Strowman. I think the WWE Universe is dying to see this guy get back, RAW really needs him. Anyways, you mix ‘The Monster Among Men’ with the wordsmith himself, Paul Heyman, and surely that will lead to fan interest. At number four, we’ve got a Superstar who’s been the opposite of Braun in terms of YouTube, as his clips have been very up-and-down of late, Seth Rollins. Speaking only for myself, Rollins has been a disappointment in recent weeks. He’s always right there pushing on that proverbial ceiling that separates him from the elite of the elite in the company like Roman, Cena and the like. I’m not sure what keeps stopping him though.

Our last three spots this week only see one that’s on the fringe of being “best of the rest” territory. Squeezing into fifth was what’s become an annual Christmas tradition at this point, the Miracle On 34th Street Fight, involving what I feel has been a pretty underrated feud. Elias and Lashley basically swapped places with Bobby now the heel and it’s worked much better than earlier this year when the tables were turned. It appears as if they’ve really helped each other out tremendously with the turns, along with the help of Lio Rush and this is probably my favorite rivalry on the red brand right now. Number six is yet another chapter in the Finn/Drew/Dolph saga, which has been quite weird to me with how McIntyre’s been booked of late. I don’t understand cooling him off just to give Balor a push, which seems to be the case here.

Lastly, the announcement a lot of fans have clamored for rounds out our top seven, as Mr. McMahon reveals the Women’s Tag Titles are on their way in 2019. This makes a lot of people happy, but I still want no part of it. I don’t understand why the same fans who have been crapping all over Vince for the creative recently also put their trust in that same man to handle Women’s Tag Titles correctly. Just look at the shape of RAW’s Tag Team Division. I suppose if that’s what you all wish for the ladies as well, be careful what you wish for because now you’re getting it.