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This week's episode of WWE RAW did not air on the USA Network as per usual, but instead on Syfy in the United States.
Fans may recall Syfy used to be the home of WWE's reboot of ECW and also the home of SmackDown between 2010 and 2016. Though usually showcasing shows from genres such as science fiction and fantasy, pro wrestling has been accepted on the channel.
Staple broadcaster USA Network, has been the longtime home for the red brand ever since its inception in 1993. The only time the program has not aired on the channel was between 1997 and 2005 when the show aired on TNN/Spike TV.
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Last week, RAW recorded its best television viewership since the summer of 2021, according to the Wrestling Observer. They noted, "The Raw after the Royal Rumble averaged 1.86 million viewers and drew an 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demo, putting it in first place for the night on cable."
A female WWE star said her life is in danger. Details HERE
WWE stacked up their offering this week with Seth Rollins taking on Riddle for the first time ever. There were more shenanigans with the Alpha Academic Challenge, plus Hall of Famer Lita made an appearance on the show to further her feud with RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch heading into the Elimination Chamber event.
So why was WWE RAW on the Syfy channel this week?
WWE RAW aired on the Syfy channel this week for the 2022 Winter Olympics currently taking place in China. The Winter Olympics were being exclusively aired on USA Network. The company made an effort to drum up more viewers on the Syfy channel by having the first hour commercial free.
Will more WWE RAW episodes be airing on Syfy?
The February 7 episode of RAW, the February 8 episode of NXT 2.0, the February 14 episode of RAW, and the February 15 episode of NXT 2.0 will all be airing on Syfy this month to make way for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Andrew Zarian of Mat Men podcast reported that RAW and NXT 2.0 on February 7 and February 8, respectively, will be aired with limited commercial breaks. He noted this will likely mean the broadcast will feature more picture-in-picture commercial breaks.
SmackDown will remain unaffected by any channel changes as their show will remain on FOX.
