WWE Superstar Roman Reigns significantly boosted the February 2, 2026, episode of WWE RAW, attracting 3.1 million viewers worldwide, a number comparable to John Cena’s last appearance on the show. According to data from Wrestlenomics and Netflix, the episode’s total watch time surpassed 5.8 million hours, marking a notable achievement in WWE’s viewership.
This episode saw a sharp increase from the January 19, 2026, RAW broadcast, which drew 2.5 million viewers. Prior to this, the red brand had only broken the 3 million threshold during its anniversary special on Netflix. Reigns returned to the flagship program after securing victory at the 2026 Royal Rumble, where he addressed the enthusiastic Philadelphia crowd and engaged in a heated exchange with CM Punk. This encounter set the stage for their upcoming World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 42.
Insight into CM Punk’s Perspective on His Rivalry with Roman Reigns
The rivalry between Roman Reigns and CM Punk has been marked by intense verbal confrontations, with Reigns previously stating his animosity towards Punk dates back to their Shield days. However, on the February 2 RAW episode, Punk expressed a different view, suggesting that he doesn’t believe Reigns actually hates him. He explained the tension as a battle for dominance, where emotions like love and hate are closely intertwined.
CM Punk, known as The Second City Saint, stated,
“It’s just a contest for supremacy and that love and hate have a very fine line. The World Heavyweight Champion said he knows how to get under the skin of Reigns.”
Punk is set to defend his title against Finn Balor at the 2026 Elimination Chamber event, competing on his home turf as a prelude to facing Reigns at WrestleMania 42.
Upcoming Matches and WWE’s Viewership Prospects
The momentum generated by Roman Reigns’ return and his escalating feud with CM Punk is expected to maintain high interest levels for WWE programming. Punk’s title defense against Finn Balor at the Elimination Chamber will be a crucial test ahead of WrestleMania 42, potentially influencing fan engagement and ratings.
The surge in viewership reflects WWE’s ability to capitalize on compelling storylines and star power, particularly through Roman Reigns’ presence as The Tribal Chief. This viewership milestone indicates strong audience investment as WWE approaches one of its biggest events of the year.
Netflix has revealed that last week’s (Feb 02) episode of WWE RAW drew over 3,100,000 viewers.
The show pulled in the same numbers as John Cena’s final ever RAW 🔥 pic.twitter.com/82kN9kkJi8
— EliteRockerz 𝕏 (@EliteClubS0B) February 10, 2026
