Raw Deal - Raw recap for November 20, 2023

Drew McIntyre is in the ring to start tonight's show. McIntyre says he has been called a coward and a backstabber, but he has been the same person the entire time and he has not been lying, and that he does not need to explain. He also says anyone who turned him was never a fan in the first place. McIntyre says he nothing to apologize to "Main Event" Jey Uso for after Jey never apologized to him while he was in The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman), especially after he cost him the Undisputed WWE Championship in front of his own family. He says that everything leading up to this should be the focus, but everyone is focused instead on whether or not he has joined The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) before clearly stating that he has not despite being on their team at WarGames. He says that this is because Rhea Ripley has given him something nobody else has: Jey Uso in a cage. As he says that he will drop him the next time he sees him, Jey Uso shows up. Jey proposes that Drew McIntyre "catch a yeet-down" from him when The Judgment Day shows up and backs up McIntyre. Suddenly, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins, Sami Zayn and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes show up. General Manager Adam Pearce shows up with security and stops a brawl before one can happening, and announces that whoever throws a punch costs their team the advantage at Saturday. He also tells Jey's team that they need a fifth member and that they need to find them by tonight, and in less than an hour, he wants to know who will fight in the advantage match which will be "one-on-one, with no shenanigans" before he picks for them.

Backstage, as The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) convenes, Damian Priest tells Rhea Ripley that they should have discussed making Drew McIntyre part of their WarGames team. Rhea admits Drew is unpredictable, but he made the right decision, and does admit that they should have been able to discuss this. She also says that Drew McIntyre will be soon, then Damian Priest proposes that he be in the advantage match tonight. Rhea tells Damian this will be discussed as a group.

Nia Jax beats Raquel Rodriguez when Raquel is unable to lift Nia Jax off her feet and slam her.

We see footage of Xia Li training to face Becky Lynch tonight.

Backstage, Drew McIntyre meets with The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) and wants to be in the advantage match. He admits that he does not like The Judgment Day, and Priest tells McIntyre he does not like him, either. Priest then gives McIntyre the match and tells him to show his worth.

Backstage, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes gets with the rest of his team. Jey Uso wants Drew McIntyre, and the rest of the team agrees. As for their fifth member, SmackDown Superstars are not off limits, and Sami Zayn and Seth "Freakin'" Rollins have a few ideas for their fifth member.

Lyra Valkyria is seen in the front row.

Becky Lynch beats Xia Li. After the match, Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai, Asuka) shows up from out of the crowd, but Charlotte Flair, Shotzi, and Bianca Belair show up and attack them, starting a brawl that General Manager Adam Pearce and security has to break up.

Backstage, Ludwig Kaiser gets upset with Giovanni Vinci for getting on Gunther's good side, but Vinci says he is doing what it best for Imperium (Gunther, Kaiser, Vinci). Kaiser tells Vinci that Gunther made him his responsibility, and what he says goes. He tells Vinci to stay backstage for his match with Johnny Gargano tonight.

We see a video package for Zoey Stark vs. Rhea Ripley for the World Women's Championship at Survivor Series WarGames.

Johnny Gargano beats Ludwig Kaiser after Giovanni Vinci shows up, which distracts Kaiser and allows Gargano to hit One Final Beat for the win.

In footage from earlier today, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven make demands of General Manager Adam Pearce when Natalya and Tegan Nox show up wanting a women's tag team title shot. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance show up also wanting a title shot, as does Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae. Adam Pearce gives all three teams an opportunity, and when Maxxine Dupri and Ivy Nile show up, he puts them in the match and makes the match a Fatal 4-Way for a women's tag team title shot.

Backstage, Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio find Zoey Stark and "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler in their clubhouse. Bazler leaves, then Zoey says Rhea is focused on everything else but her and that the Women's World Championship will belong to her. Rhea respects Zoey for being bold enough to be in the clubhouse, then tells her she will get her beating at Survivor Series.

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven guest on commentary for the next match.

Natalya and Tegan Nox beat the team of Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri, the team of Katana Chance and Kayden Carter and the team of Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell in a Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match to earn a shot at the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

Backstage, Gunther encounters Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci arguing. Kaiser tells Gunther that he told Vinci not to be at ringside, but Gunther says Kaiser cannot listen and does not uphold Imperium's (Gunther, Kaiser, Vinci) ideals. Gunther then applauds Vinci's efforts and says he put the wrong person in charge. He then tells Kaiser to watch him and learn a thing or two, and puts Vinci in charge of Kaiser.

Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce sees a bunch of men's tag teams wanting a tag team title shot, and Pearce makes a Tag Team Turmoil match for next week. Adam Pearce then looks for Nick Aldis and finds him, and tells him they need to have a conversation.

The Miz heads to the ring. Miz brings up the subject of respect as well as Gunther's lack of respect towards everything he has accomplished. Suddenly, Gunther arrives. Gunther tells him that is not because he does not respect what he has done, it is that he has no respect for Miz at all, and that the ring is a sacred ground for competition while Miz is "just an entertainer." Miz says he gets it done in and out of the ring just like the Superstars he grew up watching, as they all held the Intercontinental Championship, and he trained and battled for twenty years to hold that title. He then says his heroes are still rememebred because they are not "a one-not robot" like Gunther. Gunther admits that he is amused by Miz at this point, then Miz says he has been at the top and knocked down time and time again and has adapted and survived. Miz then says not much is known about Gunther because he has not hit the bottom, and only then will he and the fans know if he is deserving of their respect and if he will climb his way back to the top. He then says that if Gunther does not respect him now, he will beat respect into him and become a nine-time Intercontinental Champion. Gunther says that from his point of view, he is facing someone who is just like everyone else in the building and "a little weirdo" who was bullied for being a wrestling fan and bullied by his heroes who believed he does not belong in this sport. He says that things have not changed in twenty years and that Miz does not belong in this sport or in his ring, but behind the guardrail with "the other weirdos who are just like [him]." This leads to a "USA!" chant from the crowd, and Gunther mocks the crowd for doing that before calling them weak, simple and insecure like The Miz. He then says The Miz has not been bullied enough and shoves him. Miz eventually strikes back, but Gunther hits him with a big boot. When Gunther tells him to take a look at the Intercontinental Championship while he grabs him from behind, Miz kicks him in the groin and hits the Skull Crushing Finale.

Backstage, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins meets with Jey Uso. Seth says that he meant no disrespect earlier tonight, that they need to win the advantage and that Jey Uso knows how to get the win. Seth asks Jey to win the advantage and come back in one piece, Jey tells Seth he has got this.

We hear from Ivar and Valhalla. Valhalla tells "Big" Bronson that if he sticks his hand in a wolf's mouth, the wolf will eat it. Ivar says he has weathered the Tsunami and still stands, and that Bronson has disrespected him and the gods. He says that in a week, the earth will shake when he challenges him.

Shinsuke Nakamura beats Chad Gable with a sit-down pin after Gable manages to avoid running into an exposed turnbuckle.

Backstage, Drew McIntyre is met by The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh). McIntyre tells Priest he does not need their help, and Priest says they were not offering. Rhea tells McIntyre to get the advantage, and McIntyre tells her that Jey Uso is getting the boot.

We hear from "Big" Bronson Reed. He tells Ivar he was not the one who backed away and had Valhalla battle for him, and says Ivar is a coward and cosplayer, not a real warrior. He says that next week, Ivar will not survive him.

Backstage, Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn meet with Jey Uso. Jey says he will handle business tonight and leaves, then Cody shows up asking about their fifth members. Cody says his pick has picked up the phone and that "he is in."

Drew McIntyre beats "Main Event" Jey Uso to give his team the advantage in the men's WarGames Match. After the match, Drew McIntyre continues to attack Jey Uso as Rhea Ripley applauds him. When Jey fights back and goes for a chair, The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) gang up on him. "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins and Sami Zayn come out with metal folding chairs and lay out The Judgment Day with them, then Cody grabs a microphone. Cody says he is glad The Judgment Day have the advantage, then says they are not alone and have a fifth member that he has a legacy with. He says that they are not prey and that their fifth man is an apex predator, then says the fans are not just hearing voices in their heads and that the voices are right.

This week on Raw Talk: Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci! Natalya and Tegan Nox! Zoey Stark!

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