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WWE RAW TV REPORT
NOVEMBER 13, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. AT CAPITOL ONE ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON USA
REPORT BY MAURICIO POMARES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Tonight after WWE Raw, join Wade Keller live with guest co-host Nate Lindberg from PWTorch to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
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[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with a video package recapping the title match between Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn, and Adam Pearce confirming the teams for War Games.
– Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring to declare that he and Jey Uso would win the tag titles tonight. Cody moved on to introduce Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and Seth Rollins as his team for War Games. Rollins and Cody faced off in the middle of the ring, until the Judgment Day interrupted. Damian Priest said that the Judgment Day were an actual family unlike their opponents. Finn Bálor mocked Rollins for never being able to defeat Cody while Priest mocked Cody for not being able to become a champion. Finn mocked Sami for failing to win the world title last week while Priest asked all of them if they could actually trust Jey.
– Sami said that this was about power and they are the ones that have the power here. Cody pointed out how the Judgment Day actually showed up without their leader Rhea Ripley. Priest tried to say they had no leaders, but Cody kept on asking who was the actual leader. Priest begrudgingly said that he was the leader before Rollins challenged JD and Dominik to a match tonight. Seemingly against his team’s wishes, Priest accepted the match.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Mostly a standard Judgment Day interruption opening promo, but I really liked Sami Zayn getting fired up on the mic and Damian Priest actually calling himself the leader of Judgment Day.)
[Commercial Break]
(1) SETH ROLLINS & SAMI ZAYN vs. JUDGMENT DAY (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh)
Rollins knocked JD down with a shoulder tackle, followed by a hip toss. Dominik pulled JD out of the ring and caught Rollins with a couple of stomps. Sami caught Dominik with an axe handle, setting him up for a series of shots into the turnbuckle. Rollins knocked JD with a pair of suplexes while Sami blasted Dominik with a lariat. Rollins and Sami stopped Judgment Day from walking away from the ring. Back in the ring, Sami hit Dominik with a Xploder into the corner, but couldn’t follow up with the Helluva Kick. Rollins and Sami nailed Judgment Day with stereo Topes con Hilo, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Sami catapulted JD into the ring post, reaching Rollins for the hot tag. Rollins laid Dominik out with a uranage and a sling blade before turning JD inside out with a clothesline. Rollins clobbered Dominik with a big boot, but couldn’t follow it up with a Buckle Bomb after JD grabbed his waist. Sami smashed JD’s head into the ring post while Rollins hit Dominik with a Buckle Bomb. Before Rollins could go for the Curb Stomp, Damian Priest and Finn Bálor pulled him out, ending the match in DQ.
WINNERS: Seth Rollins & Sami Zayn at 10:33 via DQ
– After the match, both War Games teams ran down to brawl, until Adam Pearce showed up with security and agents to separate them. Pearce yelled at both teams for ruining another match and banned everyone involved in War Games from tonight’s main event.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Fine match with a couple of decent spots near the end, but wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I get why they did this angle and I probably wouldn’t mind it so much if it wasn’t such a common ending in Judgment Day matches.)
[Commercial Break]
– Back from break, Rhea Ripley was still complaining about Adam Pearce’s decision. Pearce told Ripley that he is the one that runs Raw and not Judgment Day. Zoey Stark showed up to tell Ripley that she has too much on her plate and she is overlooking her. Ripley said that she isn’t overlooking her, putting over her run in NXT. Ripley told Stark that she would be a future champion, but it would only happen on the other brand. She focused once again on Pearce, only for Stark to tell her that she would take her title. Stark low-bridged Ripley and teased going for a top turnbuckle crossbody.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Really hot and exciting promo from Rhea Ripley which unfortunately wasn’t matched by Zoey Stark.)
– Backstage, Shinsuke Nakamura talked about the opportunity being his and that he would wait for his target for now.
– Otis made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Shinsuke Nakamura.
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Cody Rhodes asked Seth Rollins to talk with him. Cody told Rollins that he needed them to work together for one night. Rollins said that he doesn’t like Cody, but he respects him and would have his back at War Games.
(2) OTIS (w/Chad Gable, Maxxine Dupri & Akira Tozawa) vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Otis withstood Nakamua’s body shots and kicks, until Nakamura knocked him down with an enzuigiri. Otis laid Nakamura out with a bodyslam, followed by a hip attack and a corner splash. Nakamura rolled out of the ring, only for Otis to blast him with a shoulder tackle, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Otis countered a kick to the chest with a powerbomb, following it with a shoulder tackle. Otis knocked Nakamura down with a clothesline, setting him up for the Caterpillar and a nearfall. Nakamura swept Otis off the top turnbuckle before nailing him with a spinning kick. Otis countered the Kinshasa with a World’s Strongest Slam for a close two count. Nakamura cracked Otis with a diving knee strike before taking him down with a chop block. Nakamura clobbered with two back-to-back Kinshasas for the victory.
WINNER: Shinsuke Nakamura at 9:07
– After the match, Shinsuke Nakamura shoved Chad Gable before walking out of the ring.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Solid match to maintain Nakamura in the upper mid-card and seemingly set up a one-on-one match against Chad Gable. I really hope Gable wins this eventual matchup and returns to the title picture, but I assume Nakamura will win to keep him ready to face whoever he is speaking to in his promos.)
[HOUR TWO]
– A video package highlighting the rules to War Games was shown.
– Backstage, Drew McIntyre offered Seth Rollins a handshake after coming up short at Crown Jewel. Drew told Rollins that he would get back to the title.
– Piper Niven made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Tegan Nox.
[Commercial Break]
– A video package was shown hyping up Tegan Nox ahead of her match.
(3) TEGAN NOX (w/Natalya) vs. PIPER NIVEN (w/Chelsea Green)
Nox caught Niven with a pair of enzuigiris, setting her up for an inverted cannonball. Niven clocked Nox with a headbutt, setting her up for a vertical suplex and a senton for a two count. Niven stepped on Nox’s arm a before dropping her with a shoulder breaker for a nearfall. Nox countered a Glam Slam with a roll-through, followed by a running knee strike to the face.
Green distracted Nox, allowing Niven to clock her with a lariat. Natalya knocked Green down before receiving a body block from Niven. Niven missed the running crossbody, allowing Nox to hit her with the Shiniest Wizard, but she managed to put her foot on the ropes. Niven blocked a Destroyer, only to miss a seated senton, allowing Nox to take the win with a crucifix pinfall.
WINNER: Tegan Nox at 4:48
(Pomares’s Analysis: The match was fine while it lasted, but the heatless crowd didn’t really do it any favors. At least, this should finally set up a tag title match on the main roster which hasn’t happened in four months.)
– A recap of The Miz winning a title shot on a Fatal Four-way last week.
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed The Miz about his quest to become a nine-time Intercontinental champion. Miz said that him winning the title would help him restore his legacy. Ivar said that Miz wouldn’t even make it to Survivor Series after facing him tonight. Bronson Reed interrupted, only for Ivar to remind him that he lost his shot against Gunther. Ivar shoved Reed before standing behind Valhalla and walking away.
– Tommaso Ciampa made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against Ludwig Kaiser.
[Commercial Break]
(4) TOMMASO CIAMPA (w/Johnny Gargano) vs. LUDWIG KAISER (w/Giovanni Vinci)
Ciampa sent Kaiser to the apron and launched him away with a running knee strike. Back in the ring, Kaiser managed to hit Ciampa with a chop to the chest, only for Ciampa to respond with a chop of his own, a jawbreaker and a clothesline. Kaiser clobbered Ciampa with a Penalty Kick, followed by a clothesline after Vinci grabbed Ciampa’s leg. The referee noticed Vinci’s interference and ejected him, as WWE Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Ciampa took Kaiser down with a Thesz Press, following it with a series of clotheslines and a reverse DDT. Kaiser blocked a pump knee with a palm strike and a clothesline. Kaiser dropped Ciampa with a cartwheel Death Valley Driver, setting him up for a Penalty Kick for a nearfall. They started trading forearm strikes, until Ciampa caught Kaiser with a stomp to the head. Kaiser blocked an avalanche Air Raid Crash while Ciampa blocked a powerbomb. Ciampa blocked a diving uppercut with a pump knee to the head. Vinci returned to the ring to hit Gargano with a big boot, distracting Ciampa and allowing Kaiser to get the win with a roll-up.
WINNER: Ludwig Kaiser at 10:00
(Pomares’s Analysis: Pretty good match with an ending I really didn’t like. I don’t mind Imperium cheating to win, but it really annoys when wrestlers that were ejected just return to still interfere.)
– Backstage, Rhea Ripley suggested that they should follow Damian Priest’s lead for War Games. Ripley, Finn and Dominik convinced Priest to make JD McDonagh an official member of Judgment Day. Priest left to give him the news personally.
– Xia Li made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Indi Hartwell.
[Commercial Break]
– A recap of Xia Li assaulting Becky Lynch before last week’s battle royal was shown.
(5) INDI HARTWELL (w/Candice LeRae) vs. XIA LI
Hartwell nailed Li with a pair of boots to the face, only for Li to drive her into the steel steps. Li clocked Hartwell with a strike to the head and a suplex for a two count. Li missed a corner big boot, allowing Hartwell to take her down with a series of clotheslines. Hartwell missed a clothesline, allowing Li to knock her out with a spinning kick to the head. The referee declared that Hartwell could no longer compete.
WINNER: Xia Li at 2:33 via referee stoppage
– After the match, Becky Lynch showed up to tell Xia Li that they would do things on her time. Lynch tried to get into a brawl, but Li was barely able to escape. Lynch grabbed the mic and confirmed that they would have a match next week.
(Pomares’s Analysis: I like the idea of Becky Lynch having a smaller feud against Xia Li, but I really haven’t been a fan of the execution. Li’s actions haven’t really presented her in a good light and the length of her matches haven’t really allowed the fans to get a clear look at her moveset. Hopefully, Becky can really get the crowd into their match next week.)
– Backstage, Gunther confronted The Miz to congratulate for winning his match. Miz told Gunther to watch his match, so he could see why he held the belt so many times. Gunther said that he knows what he is facing and it wouldn’t compare to what he would do at Survivor Series.
– Ivar made his way to the ring, ahead of his match against The Miz.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR THREE]
– A recap of Zoey Stark eliminating Shayna Baszler to get a title shot last week was shown.
– Backstage, Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler discussed Stark’s title match at Survivor Series. Raquel Rodriguez and Nia Jax interrupted to argue about last week’s battle royal before setting up a future match.
(6) THE MIZ vs. IVAR (w/Valhalla)
Ivar pummeled Miz down with a series of back elbows, only for Miz to respond with a diving hurracarrana. Miz sent Ivar out of the ring with a clothesline, but Ivar quickly drove him into the apron. Ivar crushed Miz with a crossbody into the LED screen before throwing him back in the ring. Miz caught Ivar with a pair of boots to the face, followed by a Satellite DDT for a two count. Ivar planted Miz with a spinning slam, but he managed to kick out at two. Bronson Reed showed up and distracted Ivar, allowing Miz to hit him with a bulldog. Ivar crushed Miz with a seated senton while Reed sat on a chair at ringside, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Ivar dropped Miz with a double underhook powerbomb for a close two count. Miz caught Ivar with a low DDT, but he managed to kick out at two. Miz pummeled Ivar down with a series of kicks to the chest and head, only for Valhalla to hit him with a cheap shot. Ivar knocked Miz down with a leg lariat for a close two count. Miz stopped Ivar atop the turnbuckle, only for Ivar to crush him with an avalanche powerslam for a nearfall. Ivar got distracted with Reed, allowing Miz to surprise him with a powerbomb and a pin using the ropes.
WINNER: The Miz at 11:10
– After the match, Bronson Reed assaulted Ivar and nailed him with the Tsunami.
(Pomares’s Analysis: The match was alright, but it still doesn’t feel like it was enough to make The Miz into a serious threat to Gunther’s title, especially on PPV. At least, a potential feud between Bronson Reed and Ivar should lead to a fun hoss match.)
– Backstage, Damian Priest told JD McDonagh that he still had his doubts, but after taking one for him tonight, he knew he could go to war. Priest officially gave JD Judgment Day gear, making him an official member.
[Commercial Break]
– A video package highlighting the rules to War Games was shown.
– Backstage, Gunther congratulated Giovanni Vinci for winning the match for Imperium. Ludwig Kaiser was annoyed at his win being ignored before crossing paths with Indus Sher who were on their way to Adam Pearce’s office.
– Backstage, Chad Gable cheered Otis up after his defeat, until the Creed Brothers showed up to offer their help. As they were discussing their winning streak, the New Day showed up and avoided talking about their defeat from last week. To the side, Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri were discussing a partnership after their performance in the battle royal.
– It was announced that a War Games advantage match would take place, Becky Lynch would face Xia Li and Raquel Rodriguez would take on Nia Jax next week.
– Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso made their way to the ring, ahead of their match against the Judgment Day.
[Commercial Break]
(7) JUDGMENT DAY (Finn Bálor & Damian Priest) vs. CODY RHODES & JEY USO – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Finn knocked Jey down with a shoulder tackle, only for Jey to respond with one of his own. Jey drove Finn into the corner with an Irish-whip, setting him up for an elbow drop to the arm from Cody. Cody dropped Finn with a delayed vertical suplex into a facebuster for a two count. Priest cornered Jey and pummeled him down with numerous stomps in the corner. Finn and Priest took Jey down with a kick to the chest and a Scissor kick for a nearfall. Cody and Jey managed to send the Judgment Day out of the ring, as WWE RAW went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Cody clocked Finn with a knee strike to the abdomen, but Finn gouged his eyes before he could follow up with a power move. Priest pummeled Cody with a series of right hands, followed by illegal chops from Finn. Cody put Finn down with a hip toss, but missed a follow-up elbow drop. Priest laid Cody out with a cradle tombstone slam for a nearfall. Cody knocked Finn off the apron and reached Jey for the hot tag.
Jey took Priest and Finn down with a series of right hands, only for Priest to crack him with an uppercut. Jey nailed Priest an enzuigiri, only for Finn to sweep him off his feet and take him down with a lariat. Finn tossed Jey over the announce table, as WWE Raw went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Jey blasted Priest with an enzuigiri, reaching Cody for the hot tag. Cody knocked Finn down with a running forearm strike and a snap powerslam. Cody cracked Finn with a Disaster Kick and clobbered Priest with an elbow strike to the head. Finn blocked the Cody Cutter and the Cross Rhodes. Priest missed a corner splash while Jey took Finn down with an enzuigiri. Jey crushed Priest with a high crossbody, but he kicked out at two. Jey hit Priest and Finn with a series of superkicks, setting Priest up for the Uso Splash and a close nearfall.
Priest caught Jey with a rising kick and a clothesline, but couldn’t follow it up with South of Heaven. Jey nailed Priest with a superkick, setting him up for Cody’s Cross Rhodes. Jey knocked Finn down with a Spear before he and Cody put him down with the Cody Cutter and 1D combination. Priest broke the pinfall, smashed Cody’s head into the ring post and dropped Cody with South of Heaven on the apron. Jey crashed into Finn and Priest with a Tope con Hilo, only for Drew McIntyre to knock him out with a Claymore behind the referee’s back. Drew tossed Jey into the ring, allowing Finn to score the pinfall.
WINNERS: Judgment Day at 22:38 (Still Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions)
– After the match, Rhea Ripley and Drew McIntyre shook hands on the entrance way.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Really good main event with the much-anticipated Drew McIntyre heel turn finally taking place. I don’t know if he’ll become a permanent fixture in Judgment Day, but it’s good to have him back on the heel side of the roster. Arguably one of the best executed WWE face/heel turns all year long.)
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