WWE Raw Draws Massive Rating Thanks to Raw Reunion Special

This week's Monday Night Raw finally broke the show out of its ratings funk, as the episode drew a 2.12 rating according to Nielsen ratings. With 3.093 million total viewers, the episode marked a 26% increase in viewership from the previous week and was the highest-rated episode of 2019 in terms of both total viewers and in the 18-49 demographic, according to The Wrap.

The episode was promoted as the Raw Reunion, bringing back nearly 40 wrestlers from the past to make special guest appearances. The show was headlined by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels but also featured members of D-Generation X, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, Eric Bischoff, Booker T, Sgt. Slaughter, Jerry Lawler, Jimmy Hart, Mark Henry, Torrie Wilson, Melina, Kaitlyn, Santino Marella and The Hurricane just to name a few.

While most of the wrestlers did not get physically involved, a handful of them did get their hands on the WWE 24/7 Championship. The title changed hands a record nine times throughout the night with Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco, Kelly Kelly, Candice Michelle, Alundra Blayze and Ted DiBiase all getting a run with the title. Drake Maverick won the title twice throughout the night, but R-Truth wound up escaping the show with the title in a limo (which also had Maverick's wife Renee Michelle trapped inside of it).

So now for the real question — can WWE keep the ratings up for a second week? While they can't rely on old stars like Austin and Hogan every week, they do have their second biggest show of the year right around the corner in SummerSlam.

This year's pay-per-view will take place in Toronto on Aug. 11 and so far will feature a Universal Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch vs. Natalya for the Raw Women's Championship and Bayley vs. Ember Moon for the SmackDown Women's Championship. WWE Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton and Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon have also been teased as potential matches, though neither have been confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon.