5 reasons why WWE Monday Night RAW moving to two hours is a huge mistake

WWE is going through numerous changes. Just recently, Friday Night SmackDown moved from the FOX network to the USA Network. As if that wasn't enough, NXT made its debut on The CW.

However, more changes are in store in the coming months. The most well-known and publicized is Monday Night RAW leaving the USA Network at the end of the year and debuting on Netflix in January. That said, the flagship will undergo a major change before it moves to the streaming platform.

Beginning this upcoming Monday, the red brand will revert to the two-hour format. While this is only a temporary change until RAW moves to Netflix, it is a big one. The change could cause some serious trouble for the company and is arguably a big mistake.

The decision to move away from three hours isn't likely WWE's, of course, but it is happening nonetheless. This article will look at several reasons why this decision could backfire for Triple H and the Sports Entertainment juggernaut.

Below are five reasons why WWE Monday Night RAW moving to two hours is a huge mistake:

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#5. Triple H has mastered the three-hour format

When Monday Night RAW first went to three hours over a decade ago, fans were not happy, and for good reason. The three-hour episodes under Vince McMahon typically felt long and slow.

The way Vince booked wrestling just didn't work for a three-hour weekly television show, and most people wished it would go away forever. However, that changed when Triple H took over as head of creative.

Most fans will likely say RAW is the best weekly show on WWE TV. The Game has mastered the three-hour format, and now taking that away will dramatically change the dynamic of what makes Monday Night RAW so good. This is hugely disappointing.

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#4. The struggling tag team division could take a further hit

WWE split the Undisputed Tag Team Title at WrestleMania XL. Awesome Truth took the RAW Tag Team Title, while A-Town Down Under became the SmackDown Tag Team Champions. Both titles were later renamed.

The Judgment Day's Finn Balor and JD McDonagh are the reigning World Tag Team Champions. Despite winning the title over 100 days ago, the pair has had just one title defense. Overall, WWE RAW's tag team title picture has been bleak.

The division has barely been featured on a three-hour show, and its representation will be further diminished after the show temporarily moves to the two-hour format. It will likely be three months until the World Tag Team Championship is regularly and prominently featured again if the company decides to step up its booking after the show transitions to Netflix. There simply isn't enough time.

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#3. Less female stars would likely be featured

The tag team division isn't the only one that will likely be hurt by Monday Night RAW moving to two hours. The brand's women's division could also take a massive hit.

While WWE's booking of the division leaves a lot to be desired, the company has recently had up to four different feuds going on at once on Monday Night RAW. The match time isn't always ideal, but they have numerous women in multiple stories.

When RAW goes to two hours, a lot of people will have their time cut, and based on history, the women's division will likely take the brunt of it. This means the likes of Maxxine Dupri, The Unholy Union, Kayden Carter, Katana Chance, and perhaps even Kairi Sane will struggle to get time.

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#2. This could delay the introduction of women's mid-card titles

The women's division could be hurt in another way, too. There have been rumors all year that WWE intends to introduce mid-card titles for the divisions on RAW and SmackDown. The red brand will likely have the Women's Intercontinental Title, while the Friday Night Show will probably have the Women's United States Championship.

In theory, this is great news. The likes of Lyra Valkyria, Michin, Blair Davenport, Natalya, Ivy Nile, and Dakota Kai, among others, could all be top contenders for these belts.

Unfortunately, the titles won't likely arrive any time soon. Instead, WWE will probably hold off on introducing the belts until 2025, when both RAW and SmackDown will be three hours long. The wait is certainly disappointing.

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#1. WWE could cut some talent

With RAW set to transition to a two-hour format for the next two months, WWE could potentially cut several members off the roster.

Monday Night RAW has a roster built to support a three-hour program. They have more wrestlers than SmackDown for that very reason.

Without that extra hour, a lot of people will be sitting in catering or simply not brought to shows at all. This could make them expendable in the eyes of management.

While the thought of the show going back to three hours in a few months will hopefully spare talent, the risk of stars losing their job over this move is the biggest indicator that it is a massive mistake.