EA’s Weekly RAW YouTube Report (12/31/18)

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, 1/2/19):

1. Ronda Rousey & Natalya vs. Nia Jax & Tamina – 1.3 million views
2. Triple H wonders if Seth Rollins is still driven – 992k views
3. Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley – 915k views
4. Fresh Start Intercontinental Title #1 Contender’s Battle Royal – 778k views
5. Intercontinental Title: Dean Ambrose vs. Apollo Crews – 627k views
6. Steel Cage Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre – 580k views
7. A look back at Braun Strowman’s 2018 – 552k views

For the second straight week we had a taped episode of Monday Night RAW and for the second straight week, our RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey tops the YouTube charts. It’s a proven formula at this point, put her in the ring and you’re guaranteed at least a million views. She’s your top draw for the moment, but with so much on tap for next week’s first red brand of the New Year, I think this two week streak will come to an end.

Only our top spot eclipses the million view mark this week, although Seth Rollins made a pretty close play for it at numbers two and three. The show really lacked in star power and the appearance of Triple H certainly vaults the number two clip to that slot as opposed to the follow-up match. ‘The Game’ and Rollins just have this aura about them that when they’re in the ring together like that, it’s just plain-old-damn interesting.

Sliding into the fourth and fifth positions this week is the Intercontinental Championship, as a Fresh Start Battle Royal was made by Shane McMahon to give someone new an opportunity at Dean Ambrose later in the night. Great idea, but unfortunately when the Battle Royal is filled with guys who have done next-to-nothing for months, vaulting them into an Intercontinental Title Match that they very obviously aren’t going to win isn’t for me. Again, I think on a week where there’s more star power on RAW, this may not even sniff the top seven.

Another big match on the list this week at number six, as we get what appeared to be the blow-off for former partners Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. I’ll forever think Ziggler is one of the more underutilized underappreciated performers in WWE history, but let’s be honest…we know WWE’s not going to do anything with him, therefore making it more difficult for fans to support what he’s doing. Great match, but two guys who have definitely cooled a lot. I’d expect maybe WWE starts heating McIntyre up again now that the holidays are passed and this feud with Dolph looks like it may be at or nearing its conclusion.

Rounding out our YouTube Report this week is evidence of what I discussed last week and that’s the WWE Universe’s anticipation of Braun Strowman’s return. While there’s wasn’t a lot of competition for the final spot this week, the fact that over a half-million people tuned in simply for a promo video of ‘The Monster Among Men’ is telling. Hell, all he did was appear last week and put home a million!