4 times AEW Dynamite proved its worth against WWE RAW's Netflix debut (January 8, 2025)

AEW Dynamite recently aired its second episode on Max. The first edition of Dynamite 'Fight for the Fallen' that aired on the streaming platform was slightly underwhelming. The episode lacked highly athletic matches but was strong in terms of storytelling.

Recently, WWE also debuted on Netflix. The Stamford-based promotion's flagship show had been advertised for months and huge matches were announced for the mega event. However, despite giving the event a big feel, WWE arguably failed to deliver on the debut of RAW on Netflix.

Fans too were critical of the event as the show didn't feature a lot of pro wrestling and also lacked weekly storytelling. Meanwhile, the recent edition of Dynamite was a better episode than the first edition. Also, many believe the first edition was a lot better than the debut of RAW on Netflix.

Let's take a look at some of the reasons why Dynamite was better than the historic edition of RAW.

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#4. AEW Dynamite featured younger wrestlers, while WWE RAW featured more veterans

WWE's flagship show opened with Triple H introducing the sport to new viewers. The segment was followed by The Rock's promo, who also gave his blessings to the show. Later in the show, The Undertaker showed his support to Rhea Ripley following her title win. Also, Hulk Hogan was booed harshly by the fans while he tried to cut a babyface promo.

On Dynamite, Buddy Matthews and Will Ospreay opened the show with a stellar bout. Also, the Casino Gauntlet match saw many young stars showcase their skills. Except for Jeff Jarrett, the show didn't focus much on veterans.

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#3. AEW had more stories to tell in two hours

Dynamite started with Will Ospreay telling Buddy Matthews to leave House of Black. Also, Kenny Omega cut an emotional promo where he talked about the hardships he had to face during his return. Powerhouse Hobbs, who injured himself while facing Jon Moxley in 2024, will face him again next week as he won the Casino Gauntlet match tonight.

Meanwhile, on RAW, The Rock, Triple H, and The Undertaker made appearances, which didn't help further any stories. Drew McIntyre's loss is set to make him even crazier, and Roman Reigns reclaimed his spot as The Tribal Chief. Other than that, the show mostly saw the end of long feuds rather than the start of fresh ones.

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#2. In-ring wrestling on AEW Dynamite was steps ahead compared to RAW

AEW Dynamite's opener between Buddy Matthews and Will Ospreay featured excellent wrestling. The Casino Gauntlet match featured each star showcasing their special skills. The triple threat between Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander, and Toni Storm displayed the unlimited potential in the women's roster.

On RAW, huge stars delivered underwhelming matches. CM Punk and Seth Rollins had a decent match to end the first RAW on Netflix. Two matches out of four had outside interference, which affected the outcome of the match. While AEW featured peak in-ring wrestling, WWE focused more on how the finish of the match was booked.

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#1. Kenny Omega's return was more eventful than The Rock's

John Cena kicked off his retirement tour on RAW and set a precedent for what would be next in his last year of in-ring action. However, The Rock failed to fulfill fans' expectations. Many of them expected the star to appear as The Final Boss. Instead, he returned as Dwayne Johnson and thanked everyone. He also went on to applaud his biggest rival in WWE right now, Cody Rhodes, which was surprising.

Kenny Omega, AEW's most credible star, returned to the company after overcoming a deadly disease. On Dynamite, he talked about his struggle before his return. He was then attacked by Kyle Fletcher, Brian Cage, and Lance Archer. The Cleaner was saved by Will Ospreay, who then teased a match with Omega. This means Kenny's return started more stories than The Rock's appearance.

It will be interesting to see if WWE RAW will improve their in-ring wrestling on their second episode on Netflix.