WWE Raw Hits Lowest Viewership of 2019

This week's Monday Night Raw featured the fallout from Sunday's TLC pay-per-view, but based on the ratings fans simply weren't tuning in. According to ShowBuzz Daily the episode averaged 2.053 million viewers, with the first hour starting out at 2.204 million viewers and falling to 1.858 million by the third hour. The highest-rated episode (3.093 million viewers) of the year took place in July when WWE brought in more than 40 stars from the past for the "Raw Reunion." Meanwhile this week's episode beat the previous record for lowerst viewership of the year, previously held by the Nov. 11 episode at 2.057 million.

The episode kicked off with another Seth Rollins, in which "The Architect" further explained his heel turn and decision to align with The AOP last week. Other highlights from the night included The O.C. beating The Viking Raiders, Bobby Lashley proposing to Lana, a six-man hour-long gauntlet match ending in a non-finish when Andrade DDT'd Humberto Carrillo on the concrete floor, Asuka beating NXT's Deonna Purrazzo and Randy Orton picking up a win over AJ Styles.

Instead of making wrestlers work during the holidays, WWE opted to tape the Dec. 23 episode after Monday's show ended. You can check out the full spoilers for that show here, which included a United States Championship match between Rey Mysterio and Rollins.

After attacking Kevin Owens backstage last week, Rollins cut his first heel promo in years by addressing how fans had turned on him in the past few months.

"What do you want from me?" Rollins said. "I've been asking myself that for a long time because, you see, you and I, we used to get along. We used to see things eye-to-eye. And then somewhere along the way it all went wrong and I am trying to figure out why. Why? I did everything right. I don't take nights off, I fight through injuries. Every single time I step through that curtain and I get in that ring, I lay it all on the line for each and every one of you.

"I stick my neck out for you guys," he added. "And not just in the ring, but in the media too. And what do I get? What do I get? I get spit on, I get disrespected and I'm sick of it. I came out here last week and told Kevin Owens, I told you guys, I had nothing to do with the AOP and that was the truth. But the truth, the truth isn't good enough for you. You called me a liar, and why? Because some blithering idiot that you worship named Kevin Owens, some flavor of the month Kevin Owens, who couldn't lace my boots Kevin Owens, called me a liar. And you jumped on that bandwagon."