WWE’s Monday Night RAW may have taken a sharp creative turn — and it had as much to do with TV ratings as it did with Seth Rollins’ health.
After Seth Rollins was spotted with his arm in a sling ahead of the October 13 RAW episode, speculation ramped up around his condition following his match against Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel. But according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer’s Daily Update, WWE’s motivation for the shocking main event twist may have been driven by concern over the show’s performance numbers.
RAW aired with an earlier-than-usual start time due to travel back from Australia, and WWE was reportedly bracing for historically low viewership. That fear led to the decision to close the show with a shocking angle where Rollins was betrayed by Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman.
“Whether that changed the booking due to the injury or the booking changed based on a hot shot angle because most likely RAW today with its early start time would have done the lowest rating in the show’s history so they wanted something to make people tune in, that could be the case,” Meltzer wrote.
The move certainly got people talking — but it may not have been part of the original long-term creative vision. WWE was reportedly scrambling for something that could grab attention quickly, and the betrayal of Rollins gave them the shock value they were looking for.
With no official word yet on the outcome of Rollins’ medical tests, this angle could serve multiple purposes — covering for an injury or boosting a vulnerable broadcast. Either way, it’s a major deviation from what was originally planned.
Do you think WWE made the right move to shift the ending of WWE RAW for ratings? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
