WWE’s relationship with Netflix is reportedly facing fresh frustration behind the scenes, with members of the company’s post-production team said to feel “handcuffed” by the streaming service’s censorship requirements. The concerns emerged after the August 31 episode of WWE Raw was edited before being shown on Netflix.
The episode featured a violent opening attack involving Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price and The Usos, with Jey Uso left visibly bloodied. Netflix reportedly blurred portions of Jey’s face during the broadcast, while another segment involving Jacob Fatu was edited to remove profanity.
WWE Reportedly Did Not Expect This Level of Censorship
According to WrestleVotes Radio, people working in WWE’s post-production department are frustrated with how much material Netflix has been censoring. The report claims WWE did not anticipate that Netflix’s restrictions would have such a noticeable impact on Raw when the weekly show moved to the streaming platform in January 2025.
The latest incident was particularly noticeable because the blood was an important part of the storyline. Jey and Jimmy Uso were ambushed in a parking lot, with the attack presented as a brutal assault that was designed to escalate the ongoing conflict between The Bloodline and Keys’ group.
Netflix’s edits also affected Jacob Fatu’s subsequent promo. His profanity was censored during the broadcast, continuing a pattern that has seen other Raw segments altered since WWE moved to Netflix, including previous edits involving blood, gestures and adult language.
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque appeared to push back against the decision by sharing an unedited version of the Royce Keys and OTM attack on social media. The footage showed the blood that Netflix had obscured, allowing fans to see the segment as it was originally presented.
The situation could become an ongoing issue for WWE as the company continues producing Raw for Netflix. While the platform has its own content standards across different markets, repeated edits could affect how WWE presents violent or controversial storylines designed specifically for its weekly television audience.
