WWE Raw live results: WarGames advantage match

Date: November 20, 2023
Location: Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI

The Big Takeaway —

He never appeared and was never named, but Randy Orton will team with Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn and Jey Uso at Survivor Series: WarGames. Rhodes, Rollins and Zayn were all pumped to have Orton as their partner but, notably, Jey Uso seemed less than enthused. (The Usos beat Orton and Matt Riddle for the tag titles in Orton’s last match.) 

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Show Recap —

Drew McIntyre stood in the ring as the show began. The lights were dim and there was a spotlight on him.

McIntyre knew people were upset about what he did last week but the person who was the most upset was him. He was being called a backstabber but he hasn’t changed. He hasn’t lied and if you’ve turned on him, that was fine, because you were never a fan of his in the first place. He gave Jey Uso something Jey never gave him — he looked Jey right in the eye before he dropped his ass.

McIntyre figured Jey was probably looking for an apology but he doesn’t recall hearing Jey apologize to him or anyone else he screwed over with his family. The crowd chanted, “You suck.”

McIntyre said Cody Rhodes was collateral damage but he was also responsible for Jey being on Raw. He saw Rhodes attacking Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa on Smackdown and people were probably telling him to get over it too — but there was no reason for them to get over the Bloodline.

Jey cost him the biggest thing of all. McIntyre’s family waited 16 years to see him win the championship at Clash at the Castle but Jey and his family took that moment from him and his family.

McIntyre stated he did not join Judgment Day — but he would be on their team in WarGames. Rhea Ripley provided him something no one else could — Jey Uso in a cage.

Jey Uso entered. Jey said there would be no more talking and it was time for a beat down — or “yeet down.” The crowd yelled “Yeet.”

Jey was about to hit the ring but Judgment Day appeared and stood on the apron behind McIntyre. That brought out Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes. Wade Barrett noted they were still a man down.

Adam Pearce suddenly appeared and stepped between the two teams. He warned them not to get into a fight and if somebody threw a punch, that person would cost their team the advantage at WarGames.

Pearce told Rollins’ team that they needed to pick a partner by the end of tonight. He also warned both teams that the WarGames would be one-on-one or else. He wanted to know who would be in the advantage match by 9:00 pm tonight.

McIntyre stepped up and got in Jey’s face but then he left (on his own). Judgment Day left moments later.

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Judgment Day met backstage. Damian Priest told Rhea Ripley that he should have been consulted if McIntyre was joining them at Survivor Series. Ripley said she didn’t even know what McIntyre was doing until he did it but she agreed they should have discussed it first. Priest thought he should be in the advantage match tonight but Ripley said they should wait for McIntyre so they could decide as a team.

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Nia Jax defeated Raquel Rodriguez (8:51)

Rodriguez tackled Jax out of the ring and hit a crossbody off the apron but Jax shoved her into the barricade and drove her spine-first into the ring post ahead of a break (two minutes into the match). Jax applied a rest hold and Rodriguez hoisted her up momentarily but collapsed due to her injured back.

Rodriguez fought back and tried getting Jax on her shoulders but she collapsed again. Jax responded with a senton. Jax went to the middle rope but Rodriguez slipped under her for a powerbomb attempt. However, Rodriguez collapsed for a third time and Jax hit the Annihilator for the pinfall win. (The crowd was ready to pop huge if Rodriguez managed to powerbomb Jax.)

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There was a Xia Li video package.

Priest was getting impatient waiting for McIntyre but McIntyre finally showed up. McIntyre thought it should be him, not Priest, in the advantage match. McIntyre didn’t like anyone in Judgment Day but he despised Jey Uso. Priest didn’t like McIntyre either and recalled McIntyre costing him the world title. They argued for a bit until Priest agreed to allow McIntyre to represent them in the match. Priest wanted McIntyre to show his worth. McIntyre called it good leadership by Priest.

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There was a video package for the women’s WarGames match. As "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath played, Michael Cole said that thanks to Ruffles, we could decide which team would have the advantage in a fan vote.

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Rollins, Zayn, Rhodes and Jey met backstage. Rollins and Jey both wanted the match against McIntyre. Rollins said he knew McIntyre the best but Jey fired up and it should be him. They agreed.

As for their fifth member, Zayn and Rollins each had ideas for a partner. Rhodes said he had an old friend that he would contact and was sure would come through. (Fans cheered this.)

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It’s been 20 minutes since the Nia Jax match ended.

Becky Lynch defeated Xia Li (12:37)

Lyra Valkyria was shown watching at ringside.

Lynch had the early edge until Xia caught her with a kick on the apron ahead of a break.

[SECOND HOUR]

Cole let us know Li was dominating through the break but Lynch fought back and hit an exploder for two. Lynch applied an armbar but Li countered into a cradle for two. Li followed with an airplane spin for two. Lynch responded later with a middle rope superplex for two.

Li hit her knockout kick and Lynch fell out of the ring. Lynch seemed loopy but told the referee that she could continue. Li tried the kick again but Lynch ducked and posted her. They both made it back into the ring at a nine count and Lynch hit a Man-handle Slam moments later for the pinfall win. The crowd was into Lynch and popped for the win.

— After the match, Damage CTRL marched down through the crowd but they were attacked by Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair and Shotzi. Iyo Sky, Bayley, Asuka and Kairi Sane backed away but a brawl broke out again and officials tried separating the two teams.

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Ludwig Kaiser was annoyed with Giovanni Vinci but Vinci said he was just trying to do what was best for Imperium. Kaiser told Vinci to stay in the back while he took care of Johnny Gargano.

There was a Zoey Stark video package.

Johnny Gargano (w/Tommaso Ciampa) defeated Ludwig Kaiser (11:02)

The third match of the night and the third time the heel got the advantage moments before a commercial break 2-3 minutes into the match. Gargano fought back with a slingshot spear, strikes, suicide dive, and tornado flatliner for two. Kaiser came back with a great-looking discus clothesline for two.

Kaiser hit a Finlay roll but became distracted by Vinci who appeared at ringside. This allowed Gargano to hit One Final Beat for the pinfall win.

Vinci was amused by the result.

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Chelsea Green and Piper Niven met with Adam Pearce backstage when they were interrupted by a series of teams who happened to be nearby. Natalya and Tegan Nox, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter, and Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell (who both got knocked out easily by Xia Li the last time we saw them each wrestle) all thought they deserved a tag title shot.

Maxxine Dupri and Ivy Nile showed up for something unrelated but Pearce was so annoyed at all the bickering that he assumed they wanted a title match too. Nile was about to correct him but Dupri told her to shoosh because she saw the opportunity. Pearce put the teams in a fatal four-way and the winner would earn a title shot.

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Ripley and Dominik Mysterio entered their locker room and were annoyed to see Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler hanging out in there. Stark told Ripley she would win the title. Ripley said she was in for a beating.

Fatal 4-Way: Natalya & Tegan Nox defeated Kayden Carter & Katana Chance, Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell and Maxxine Dupri & Ivy Nile (11:47)

Each team had matching gear except Dupri and Nile. Dupri hit a splash onto all six of her opponents ahead of a break. This broke the streak of heels getting the advantage before a commercial (because there aren’t any heels in the match).

Katana and Carter hit a nice double-team move on Nox and Natalya but everyone else broke up the cover. Everyone traded moves until Natalya put Katana in a Sharpshooter. Nile broke that up with a bulldog.

Dupri tagged in and hit Nox with consecutive body slams and a Caterpillar into an elbow drop. Dupri followed with a Northern Lights Suplex for two before Nile and Dupri hit Nox with a double vertical suplex.

Nile went to the top but Natalya yanked her down. Dupri tried a flying crossbody but Nox rolled through into a cradle for the pinfall win. Nox and Natalya earn themselves a tag title shot.

(The crowd was really quiet for this and only slightly woke up when Dupri was on offence.)

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Gunther approached Kaiser and Vinci. He was proud of Vinci and he wondered if he put the wrong person in charge. He told them to sort things out while he deals with Miz.

(There was an ad for tomorrow’s NXT plugging Lyra Valkyria against the “unstoppable” Xia Li.) 

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There was another argument between tag teams backstage, this time with the men. Pearce put them in a tag team turmoil match next week to determine the number one contenders. The teams were New Day, Indus Sher, DIY, Imperium, Alpha Academy (without Chad Gable), and the Creed Brothers.

Pearce asked a stagehand to get Nick Aldis on the phone but Aldis happened to be standing nearby. They agreed to speak.

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[THIRD HOUR]

Miz/Gunther segment 

Miz complained about Gunther showing him a lack of respect. Gunther wanted to make it clear: it wasn’t a lack of respect, he had no respect for Miz. The ring was for fighters but Miz was only an entertainer. Miz thought of that as a positive because he got things done in and out of the ring.

Miz said he was just like the men he grew up watching: Randy Savage, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Shawn Michaels, and Bret Hart. Miz worked hard for years so he could hold the title that his heroes held. We still remember them because they weren’t one-note wonders like Gunther. Gunther was amused.

Miz went on about adapting and changing over his career. Miz said we don’t know much about Gunther because he hasn’t been at the bottom. We’ll only find out what Gunther is made of when he hits the bottom and he wonders if Gunther could climb the mountain if he did. Miz threatened to beat respect into Gunther.

Gunther knew who he was facing at Survivor Series: little Mike Mizanin. A little weirdo who got bullied in high school because he idolized all of those men he named. He finally became a WWE superstar and his fellow superstars bullied him too because he did not belong in this sport.

Gunther said Miz did not belong in his ring, he belonged on the other side of the barricade with all the other weirdos. This somehow led to a “USA” chant. Gunther called the fans insecure like little Mike. Gunther told Miz, “I think you haven’t been bullied enough.” Gunther shoved Miz repeatedly and told him to defend himself.

Miz tried to fight back but Gunther easily booted him. Gunther grabbed Miz from behind and shoved the IC title belt in his face. Miz gave him a low blow and hit a Skull Crushing Finale.

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Rollins approached Jey and stressed the importance of having the advantage at WarGames. Rollins knew that Jey knew this because he was in WarGames. Rollins told him to beat McIntyre and come back in one piece. Jey was upbeat and confident. Rollins was serious and he nodded at Jey. Jey seemed taken aback by Rollins’ serious demeanour.

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Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Chad Gable (w/Maxxine Dupri, Otis & Akira Tozawa) (12:08)

Gable wiped out Nakamura with a cannonball ahead of a break. They actually showed us how Nakamura got the advantage during the break (with a combination of kicks). Nakamura had the edge until Gable came back with strikes and a neckbreaker for two. Nakamura responded with a kick, sliding German suplex, and flying knee strike for two.

Gable hit a cliffhanger DDT and diving headbutt for two. (Cole referred to Gable as “Angle” somewhere in here.) Gable hit a stalling German suplex (which Cole called a Chaos Theory) and a dragon suplex. Gable went for a moonsault but Nakamura got his feet up and followed with a reverse exploder. Gable countered a Kinshasa into an ankle lock but Nakamura rolled out of it.

Nakamura tried to shove Gable into an exposed turnbuckle but Gable managed to hold up and avoid it. However, that hesitation allowed Nakamura to roll up Gable for the pinfall win.

This was pretty good.

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Judgment Day approached McIntyre in the back. McIntyre said he didn’t want Judgment Day at ringside. Priest said they weren’t offering. McIntyre was glad and he left.

There was a video earlier of Ivar (with Valhalla) challenging Bronson Reed. Reed accepted the challenge for a match next week.

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There was a WarGames video package.

Zayn and Rollins (now in a way better mood) approached Jey. They were all hyped for the match.

Rhodes approached them and asked if they had any luck finding a partner. Zayn and Rollins both had nothing. They asked Rhodes about his partner and Rhodes said they were in business. Rollins wanted him to clarify. Rhodes said, “He’s in.”

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Drew McIntyre defeated Jey Uso (18:42) — Judgment Day earns the WarGames advantage

McIntyre took control after a break, cut off Jey’s comeback attempt and chucked him over the announce desk. After a second break, Jey avoided a charge and McIntyre flew into the post. Jey hammered away as the crowd chanted “Yeet” and hit a Samoan Drop for two. McIntyre countered a clothesline into a neckbreaker. McIntyre went for Claymore but Jey hit a superkick for a nearfall.

Jey went to the top but McIntyre crotched him and hit a Future Shock DDT for the abrupt pinfall win. The crowd seemed surprised.

— Ripely appeared at ringside and told McIntyre to finish Jey. McIntyre was about to put Jey through a table but he fought back. Judgment Day showed up and swarmed Jey until Rhodes, Rollins and Zayn ran out to make the save. (They came out to Rhodes’ music even though Rollins is the champion.)

Rhodes was glad Judgment Day had the advantage and was happy to announce they had a fifth member. He was a man he had a “legacy” with (the crowd popped for that) and a man who was an apex predator. The crowd chanted “Randy.” Rhodes said we weren’t just hearing voices in our heads because the fans were right. Rhodes dropped the mic and the show ended. 

(Jey didn’t seem all that excited that Orton was their partner.) 

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