WWE Raw Ratings Down Despite the Fiend's Return, WrestleMania 37 Hype
March 23, 2021
Monday night's episode of WWE Raw saw its ratings fall from last week despite Fastlane fallout and build toward WrestleMania 37.
According to Showbuzz Daily, Raw averaged 1.816 million viewers during its three-hour broadcast on USA Network, which was down from last week's 1.843 million.
In addition to following up on what happened at Fastlane, Raw was largely about setting up WrestleMania, and it undoubtedly accomplished that with four WrestleMania matches officially announced.
Chief among them is a match between Randy Orton and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, which was made official during the main event segment of the night.
After The Fiend resurfaced at Fastlane during the match between Orton and Alexa Bliss, The Viper summoned him Monday. Orton stated his intention to put The Fiend away once and for all by setting him ablaze again.
Orton's plan went awry, though, when Bliss distracted him, allowing The Fiend to lock Orton in the Mandible Claw and hit him with Sister Abigail.
Also, Rhea Ripley made her long-awaited main roster debut, confronting Raw Women's champion Asuka after a win over Peyton Royce. Ripley noted that while Charlotte Flair already challenged Asuka to a WrestleMania match, Charlotte is currently out due to COVID-19.
Rhea then challenged Asuka to a title match and Asuka accepted, although it stands to reason that Charlotte could still work her way into the match.
Other WrestleMania matches that were announced are Shane McMahon and Braun Strowman and The Miz vs. Bad Bunny, the latter of which came to fruition when Bad Bunny hit The Miz with a guitar after the latter beat Jeff Hardy.
Additionally on Raw, WWE champion Bobby Lashley beat Sheamus and then Drew McIntyre defeated Hurt Business members Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander in a handicap match later in the night, meaning Benjamin and Alexander won't be allowed at ringside for the title match between Lashley and McIntyre at WrestleMania.
Other happenings of note included Kofi Kingston beating AJ Styles, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler defeating Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke, and Sheamus attacking United States champion Riddle backstage, which may have been a setup for a WrestleMania match.
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