Raw Deal - Raw recap for September 25, 2023

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Cody decides to cut to the chase regarding "Main Event" Jey Uso, saying that his arrival on Raw means someone will be drafter to SmackDown and will lead to a disgruntled locker room, but he will not let Jey sink, even if they are not best friends and he has his reasons. He says he would not stand by and let someone get jumped by three other for making the right decision in turning down joining The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio), whom he calls the most toxic faction in the history of WWE. The Judgment Day - minus Rhea - shows up, and Finn asks Cody why he has to stick his nose in their business. Priest says they gave Jey the opportunity to join a real family and that Cody could not help himself after Jey turned them down. Dominik is drowned out by the fans' boos as he says that Jey Uso will pay for disrespecting them, which he says is all Cody's fault. Cody then mentions Priest mentioning a real family and how his family cannot stand him, then asks what will happen when Rhea Ripley comes back to no championship gold. Dominik tells Cody to keep Rhea's name out of his mouth, then The Judgment Day head towards the ring. Jey Uso suddenly shows up and stands alongside Cody, then Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens show up out of the crowd and stand alongside Cody and Jey. The Judgment Day retreat. Suddenly, JD McDonagh shows up with a few chairs, and Priest stays behind at first while McDonagh, Dominik and Finn get in the ring only to get outnumbered. When Priest gets in the ring, he is the only one left, and he shrugs before ultimately getting a beatdown.

"Big" Bronson Reed beats Otis.

Backstage, Becky Lynch is met by Tegan Nox, who says that she had her open challenge with her in mind and that she saw her at the curtain. She tells Tegan that she has to step on toes to prove her worth, and she wants her to be next in line after she defends her title.

Backstage, WWE official Adam Pearce is met by Tegan Nox, who asks for the winner of the NXT Women's Championship match on Saturday. Natalya shows up wanting a rematch, but Tegan tells her she had her opportunity and she lost. This leads to an argument, and Pearce has them both head to the ring where the winner gets a shot at the NXT Women's title.

Tommaso Ciampa beats Ludwig Kaiser after Giovanni Vinci inadvertently costs Kaiser a pinfall victory and the match after he gets on the ring apron only to eat a knee from Ciampa.

We see a vignette for Dragon Lee.

Becky Lynch guests on commentary for the next match.

Tegan Nox beats Natalya to earn a shot at the NXT Women's Championship.

Backstage, Damian Priest confronts JD McDonagh, telling him he has taken a beating because of him and that he is not in the Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio) and never will bebefore telling him to get out. Finn Balor and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio are shocked.

Seth "Freakin'" Rollins heads to the ring. Rollins asks the fans if they are as sick and tired as he is of Shinsuke Nakamura ducking and dodging him, all they have to do is sing his song. They do. He also says that if it is about time he defended the World Heavyweight Championship, then they should sing it louder. They do. Rollins then proclaims there is one thing left to do, then calls out Shinsuke Nakamura for a rematch once more and that he wants an answer. He states that if Nakamura does not accept his rematch, then he is moving on to other challengers. After Rollins tells Nakamura that the floor is his, Nakamura shows up on the TitanTron and says that Rollins has so many demands and that he wants nothing more to be the one who decimates him. He then says he has restraint, and that while Rollins has resilient, he is impulsive. He says Rollins has played his cards and that he has yet to play his, and he plants to have a match with Rollins that will ultimate destroy him. He says that Rollins will have one last chance to sing his song and become champion before he stands tall while Rollins never stands again, and he accepts his challenge for Fastlane in a Last Man Standing Match. Rollins says that Nakamura has played things perfectly and got the match that he wanted on his terms, yet Nakamura has one critical mistake in thinking his broken back is a weakness he can exploit. Rollins then says his broken back is not a weakness, but a strength, and the only way his family will be ashamed of him is if he does not give this match everything he has. He knows his family loves him, but his family knows he loves professional wrestling, and that every time he steps in the ring might be the last time and that his 100% makes him the best in the world and World Heavyweight Champion. He then says one man will walk out, but it will not be Nakamura; it will be him.

Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Ricochet, who is on crutches. Ricochet says he does not know what to say regarding a return, but he will eventually come back, and that regardless of whoever walks out as World Heavyweight Champion, he has unfinished business with Shinsuke Nakamura.

"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio retains the NXT North American Championship against Dragon Lee after dropping Dragon Lee crotch-first onto the top rope before hitting the top rope frog splash to retain.

We get a sneak peak at The Continental: From the World of John Wick, coming to Peacock.

Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Owens says tonight was not about helping "Main Event" Jey Uso, even though he proved he was not on The Judgment Day's (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio) side. Sami says this is about two guys who started doing this as kids and working their way to the highest point together and taking back what is theirs. Owens says he is tired of talking and that it is time to start punching faces.

Michael Cole interviews Nia Jax in the ring. Nia Jax reintroduces herself to the WWE fans and brags about squashing Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, Raquel Rodriguez, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven, and says she will squash anyone who she is in the ring with. As Nia says she is the baddest human in WWE, Zoey Stark shows up and confronts Nia Jax, saying she squashed her when her back was turned and dares her to do something face-to-face. Nia shoves Zoey, starting a brawl officials have to stop.

Nia Jax beats Zoey Stark.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews "Main Event" Jey Uso, who says he is not joining any groups, especially The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio), and that he refuses to do Cody Rhodes dirty by doing that. He knows that he and Kevin Owens have beef and that "it is what it is," and that he is still friends with Sami Zayn, and if The Judgment Day wants to try something, then he has his back.

Backstage, Finn Balor congratulates Dominik Mysterio before telling him that Damian Priest will be fine and that they still have a lot of work to do.

It's time for Miz TV. Tonight's guest is Drew McIntyre. The Miz gives McIntyre the freedom to speak his mind, then commends him for throwing "Main Event" Jey Uso to the wolves before saying he would say the same thing. When he asks why he did this, McIntyre tells Miz he is nothing like him, but Miz says they are a lot alike and that abandoning Jey Uso is "a very Miz move" and that they both know what it is like to take WWE to new heights as champion. He then says that The Bloodline kept him from becoming WWE Champion and that this is why McIntyre does not trust Jey Uso, then calls McIntyre "the Batman of WWE" while "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes is more like Superman. As Miz asks McIntyre what it was like to be upstaged by Cody Rhodes, The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) show up. Kofi says that this is not the Drew McIntyre that they know and that McIntyre was a coward last week, and Xavier Woods says that while they have called him "Big D," they have noticed some shrinking as of late. McIntyre says that Cody helped Jey out to clean up his own mess and that Jey has cost The New Day opportunities, but Kofi says they have been watching him and they know that he always does the right thing. As this goes on, McIntyre has to keep telling Miz to shut up before headbutting him. He then tells Kofi Kingston to get in the ring so he can show him what hard times are all about.

Backstage, Chad Gable and Maxxine Dupri tells Otis that he has nothing to be ashamed of from his loss to "Big" Bronson Reed, then Ludwig Kaiser show up and says Imperium (Gunther, Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) hold themselves to a higher standard while Alpha Academy (Gable, Otis, Maxxine) celebrate failure, but Gable reminds Kaiser that he lost tonight before telling him to tell Gunther that he is coming for the Intercontinental Championship.

Drew McIntyre beats Kofi Kingston after Ivar attacks Xavier Woods from behind ont he outside and McIntyre hits the Claymore Kick on a distracted Kofi Kingston. After the match, McIntyre walks away as Ivar attacks Kofi Kingston.

Backstage, Gunther chews out both Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci in German, then makes Vinci Kaiser's responsibility and states that if either of them fail, he and Kaiser will have an issue. He then says he will focus on staying Intercontinental Champion and beat Tommaso Ciampa himself.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Ivar and Valhalla. Ivar says The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) took Erik out of the fight, and Valhalla says "An eye...for an eye."

The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens after "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio distracts the referee only to be attacked by "Main Event" Jey Uso. JD McDonagh soon jumps in and gangs up on Jey alongside Dominik until Cody Rhodes takes out McDonagh so that he and Jey can beat up Dominik, which referees have to break up. As this goes on, Owens hits Finn with a Stunner, and Sami hits Priest with a Helluva Kick. McDonagh jumps up and blasts Sami in the face with one of the tag team title belts, and that allows Priest to barely make the cover and retain. After the match, Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso run back out and fight The Judgment Day, with officials struggling to restore order as the show ends.

This week on Raw Talk: Tegan Nox! Tommaso Ciampa! Drew McIntyre!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!