Raw Deal - Raw recap for December 4, 2023

Drew McIntyre heads to the ring to start tonight's show. He references CM Punk's return at Survivor Series before stating he could be talking about anyone, then tells Jey Uso that his time is coming even with Randy Orton's forgiveness. As he mentions Sami Zayn, Sami shows up as if on cue. Sami tells McIntyre to say what he wants to say about him to his face, and McIntyre calls Sami "the one person who [deserved] to get screwed by The Bloodline" after being their errand boy and joining them to get away from him only to screw them over. Sami says he thought he and McIntyre were a lot like, but he now realizes they are not, because he does not point his finger at everyone else for their shortcomings and he stayed hungry and motivated in order to win the main event of WrestleMania instead of giving up. He says that he redeemed himself and made his family proud before asking McIntyre if he has done the same, and McIntyre demands a referee for a match after stating that one of them will not walk out of the ring tonight.

Drew McIntyre beats Sami Zayn with a chop block to Sami's tweaked leg followed by the Claymore as Sami's tweaked leg buckles.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler, who says she has one goal: remind Nia Jax of how she put her on the shelf when he rips her limb from limb.

We hear from "Main Event" Jey Uso, who talks about his road to what will hopefully be his first world title, which includes his falling out with Jimmy Uso, the call from "The American Nightmare"Cody Rhodes telling him to come to Raw, and how he has to fight for himself now.

Backstage, Jackie Redmond is about to interviews Sami Zayn as he is checked on by medical staff when Sami is attacked by Drew McIntyre for bringing up his family. Drew then stomps Sami's hurt knee before officials show up.

Backstage, Jey Uso checks on Sami Zayn as a medical team checks on Sami.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Becky Lynch when Nia Jax shows up. Nia wants to know if she is involved in any fights Becky wants, and Becky mentions that she never got around to facing her again and that she owes her a receipt. Nia tells Becky that when she beats Shayna Baszler, she is all hers.

Nia Jax beats "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler. After the match, Becky Lynch shows up, but Nia Jax gets out of the ring and Becky gets in.

Backstage, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell tell #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) that they will be rooting for them. As they all mock Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci), Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser shows up and call them "a lovely couple of losers." After Candice says it will be embarrassing when Vinci and Kaiser lose twice tonight, #DIY, Candice and Indi leave, Kaiser and Vinci are both telling each other not to mess this up.

#DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) beat Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) two falls to one (2-1) in a two-out-of-three falls match. Imperium score the first fall after Vinci stops Meet In The Middle on the outside and Kaiser pins Gargano with a schoolkid pin while grabbing the tights. #DIY score the second fall after Ciampa stops the Imperium Bomb on the outside, allowing Gargano to stack Vinci up for the pinfall. #DIY score the third and deciding fall after a near-repeat of the first fall, which ends with Ciampa throwing Vinci into the ring steps and Kaiser eating Meet In The Middle.

Backstage, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven run into Natalya and Tegan Nox. Chelsea tells Natalya that they are not her meal ticket, then Tegan nearly swings at Chelsea before Natalya tells Chelsea that this time, they will not miss.

Backstage, The Creed Brothers (Julius and Brutus Creed) do squats with The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) on their shoulders while celebrating becoming #1 contenders for the undisputed tag team titles when Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa) shows up. Chad Gable says the road gets tougher from here and offers to help them train. As Julius Creed says Ivy Nile will neutralize Rhea Ripley, Ivy says she will not back down. We then see Maxxine Dupri do back squats while lifting Akira Tozawa.

Backstage, The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) confront R-Truth as he puts a TV in the clubhouse and kick him out as R-Truth says the clubhouse need security. Damian Priest tell Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh to take care of The Creed Brothers (Julius and Brutus Creed) to show who is dominant on Raw.

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

Kayden Carter and Katana Chance beat Natalya and Tegan Nox. After the match, Kayden and Katana knock Chelsea Green off the ring apron.

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. Cody says he first laid eyes on the poison mist when he was a boy and was terrified of the man who did it: The Great Muta. He says that now that he has witnessed it first-hand, his fear as a boy were justified. He says that he should have paid attention to the clues that Shinsuke Nakamura dropped, as he put a target on his back when he declared for the Royal Rumble, but he is ready, and Nakamura has his attention. Cody then says they can do two things: Nakamura can emerge from the shadows and explain himself, or he can head to the ring so they can fight right now. The lights soon go out, and Nakamura appears on the TitanTron. He says that last week, he made his eyes burn, but tonight, he will open them. He says he will show Cody what he is not seeing, and that is that the path they have taken is the very same story. Nakamura says that like Cody, he has climbed the mountain and has seen the top, and just like Cody, he slipped, tumbled and fell into a bottomless pit. He says they have suffered the same humiliation with a fall from grace and pages left unwritten, and says the devil in Cody's mind tells him he will never make it back there. He says that Cody has awoken him and inspired him, and he is here to relieve him of his story so he can finish his own. The lights come back on, and Cody says that their stories are not the same. He says it is not part of his story to run from a fight, and dares Nakamura to prove that they are the same.

Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce is met by "Main Event" Jey Uso. Pearce says he is waiting for an update on Sami Zayn, and Jey Uso says he may have to face Drew McIntyre again. He then says that he is "locked in" for tonight. After Jey Uso leaves, Gunther meets with Adam Pearce about a potential next challenger.

The Creed Brothers (Julius and Brutus Creed) beat The Judgment Day ("Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh) after Brutus pounces Dominik into the announce table before hitting McDonagh with an assisted Brutus Ball off the top rope. During the match, R-Truth shows up to watch from ringside.

Backstage, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins is met by General Manager Adam Pearce, who tells him that he has invited CM Punk to next week's show to sign him to a Raw-exclusive contract. Rollins says that when CM Punk shows his true colors and this blows up in his place, Rollins had better get out of his way when he does what he does. "Main Event" Jey Uso shows up as Rollins says that Jey earned his title shot tonight, and Jey says that he has waited fifteen years for this opportunity. Both men admit to each other that they will finish the other off at the first opportunity and agree on it.

Backstage, JD McDonagh and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio are met by Damian Priest. As McDonagh is ready to blame R-Truth for their loss, Dominik tells Priest that The Creed Brothers (Julius and Brutus Creed) are "the real deal." Meanwhile, Gunther chews out Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci in the background.

Seth "Freakin'" Rollins retains the World Heavyweight Championship against "Main Event" Jey Uso. After the match, Jey Uso is laid out with a Claymore Kick by Drew McIntyre, and when Seth Rollins tries to fight McIntyre, McIntyre lays him out before putting Jey Uso through the announce table.

This week on Raw Talk: Nia Jax! Kayden Carter and Katana Chance! Diamond Mine (Julius Creed, Brutus Creed, Ivy Nile)!

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