WWE Raw live results: Seth Rollins vs. Jey Uso World title match
Date: December 4, 2023
Location: MVP Arena in Albany, New York
Show Recap —
Drew McIntyre entered. He welcomed everyone to Raw — the land of liars, hypocrites, cowards, and idiots. You can get fired, get released, leave, and do whatever you want just to come back and be instantly forgiven. That led to a CM Punk chant but McIntyre said he could be talking about anybody.
He spoke about Seth Rollins gifting Jey Uso a title opportunity and spoke about Jey actually apologizing to Randy Orton. McIntyre mocked Jey for tucking his tail between his legs and warned him that his time was coming.
Sami Zayn interrupted. Zayn saw that McIntyre had a lot to say and if he had something to say about him, he wanted to hear it face-to-face. McIntyre said Zayn was the one person in the world who deserved to get screwed by the Bloodline. Zayn was part of the Bloodline and joined them to get away from McIntyre himself. Zayn screwed them in the end, so what did he expect would happen?
Zayn said he thought he had a lot in common with McIntyre but he has realized they were nothing alike. McIntyre was pointing the fingers at everyone else. But when Zayn lost in front of his friends and family, he stayed hungry and that led him to victory in the main event of WrestleMania.
Zayn got redemption and got to make his family proud. Zayn asked McIntyre if he thought he was making his family proud. McIntyre didn’t like that comment and called out a referee to get their match started right now.
Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn (20:00)
The babyface hit a dive ahead of an early break, the big heel missed a charge and went into the ring post, and the smaller babyface followed with a show of strength by hitting a vertical suplex.
Zayn followed with a tilt-a-whirl DDT for two. McIntyre responded with consecutive suplexes and a neckbreaker. Zayn tried a slingshot dive but McIntyre caught him and flung him over the announce desk leading to a second break.
McIntyre hit a spinebuster for two and followed immediately with an impressive sit-out powerbomb for two. McIntyre set up for an avalanche White Noise but Zayn countered into a sit-out powerbomb for two.
McIntyre blocked a Blue Thunder Bomb and headbutted Zayn. McIntyre went for Claymore but Zayn booted him first and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. The crowd chanted “This is awesome.”
Zayn tried a leapfrog but he landed awkwardly on his leg (which he “tweaked” earlier). McIntyre noticed the injury so he chop-blocked him which Michael Cole called a compassionless move. As the referee checked on Zayn, McIntyre hit Claymore Kick for the pinfall win.
(This was a good match but the Zayn injury felt kind of weak. It did play into the story of McIntyre ditching his sympathies.)
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Byron Saxton interviewed Shayna Baszler (who was with Zoey Stark) about facing her former partner Nia Jax. Baszler said she put Jax on the shelf two years ago by breaking her arm and she would remind her of that tonight. (Nikki Cross could be seen standing still in the background.)
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There was a strong Jey Uso video package. He spoke about Jimmy Uso, the man he loved the most, costing him the Universal title. After that, he had to walk away from the business and he convinced himself that he was done — until he got a call from Cody Rhodes. Rhodes told him he couldn’t quit and it was time to start fresh and create his own legacy.
Jey has been fighting for others his entire life but from now on, he was fighting for his legacy. Jey knew what Seth Rollins was all about but Rollins was about to find out just how hungry he was. He would prove to the world, to his family, and to himself why they call him Main Event Jey Uso.
(The word “Yeet” was blurred from Jey’s shirt in the video.)
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McIntyre attacked Zayn as he was being checked on by a trainer. He stomped Zayn’s injured leg before officials jumped in. (In his opening promo, McIntyre said only one of them was walking out of the arena tonight.)
Jey checked on Zayn after a break.
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Saxton tried interviewing Becky Lynch but Jax interrupted. Jax wondered who Lynch was talking about in her promo last week. Lynch said that, in fact, she still owed Jax a receipt. Jax said she would be all hers once she was done squashing Baszler.
Nia Jax defeated Shayna Baszler (12:09)
Baszler targeted Jax’s arm but Jax tripped her on the apron and hit a leg drop. Baszler fought out of a rest hold after a break (as a very large graphic let us know Rhodes would be on later) but Jax squished her head into the ring post with a hip attack. Jax cut off Baszler’s comeback attempt and hit a Samoan Drop.
Baszler avoided a hip attack, drove Jax into the bottom turnbuckle and hit a running knee strike for two. Jax cut her off again and hit a senton for a nearfall. With Jax perched on the second rope, Baszler brought her down with a German suplex (which didn’t get the reaction you’d expect).
[SECOND HOUR]
Baszler applied the Kirifuda Clutch but Jax got to her feet and fell backwards onto Baszler. Jax dragged her to the corner and hit Annihilator for the pinfall win.
(The crowd was really quiet for this and it sounded like they added some booing after the pinfall.)
— Lynch entered post-match but Jax bailed.
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They played clips of CM Punk’s return promo. Triumphant music played over Punk’s words about being a changed man and how much he loved the fans. (They didn’t include the last line he said off-mic as he looked into the camera.)
They said Punk was a free agent and announced that he’d be on Friday’s Smackdown (in Providence, RI).
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Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell wished Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa luck in their match. Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser showed up and called them a lovely couple — of losers. LeRae and Hartwell mocked them and said they better impress Gunther.
After DIY left, Kaiser stressed the importance of this match to Vinci and told him to bring his best. Vinchi slapped him on the back and said he hoped Kaiser did the same.
2-out-of-3 falls match: Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa defeated Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci (15:17)
DIY set up Kaiser for Meet in the Middle but Vinci saved him by yanking Gargano out of the ring. Kaiser schoolboyed Ciampa while holding the tights to win the first fall (4:38 into the match).
Gargano and Ciampa wiped out Vinci and Kaiser with dives moments later. DIY did the thing where they sit on the announce table and give themselves a hand despite having just lost the first fall.
Their celebration ran short because Imperium was back in control following a break. Imperium went for a double-team move but Ciampa blocked Kaiser and the distraction allowed Gargano to roll up Vinci to win the second fall (10:12 into the match).
Kaiser hit Gargano with a Finlay roll and Vinci followed with an impressive double springboard moonsault for two. This led to everyone trading strikes until Gargano planted Vinci with a DDT. The crowd gave them a round of applause.
Ciampa hit Kaiser with an air raid crash and DIY set up for Meet in the Middle again but again Vinci saved Kaiser. Kaiser tried rolling up Gargano while holding the tights again but Gargano kicked out. DIY took turns kicking Kaiser before hitting Meet in the Middle for the pinfall win.
(The crowd got into this towards the end and they were a bit more into DIY this week.)
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Julius and Brutus Creed warmed up by doing squats with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods on their shoulders. The Creed Brothers told New Day they were feeling good about their coming match against Judgment Day.
Alpha Academy showed up and Chad Gable offered to show them some tips. The Creeds politely declined and said they’d stick to their methods. Akira Tozawa was about to do his dance but Maxxine Dupri placed him on her shoulders and she did squats (like Kris Statlander).
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R-Truth was once again in Judgment Day’s locker room. Damian Priest was annoyed and wanted him to leave. Truth thought he was talking to JD McDonagh so he told McDonagh to leave. McDonagh was pissed and demanded Truth leave. (McDonagh was slightly insecure and double-checked with Priest first.) Truth said they should tighten up security and he left.
Priest was sick of McIntyre but Dominik reminded him that Rhea Ripley told them not to touch Drew. Priest didn’t care and noted that Ripley and Finn Bálor weren’t even there tonight. (The crowd loudly groaned when he said Ripley wasn’t there.) Priest said he was in charge tonight and told them to handle the Creed Brothers tonight.
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Kayden Carter & Katana Chance defeated Natalya & Tegan Nox (4:49)
Natalya tagged and tried a discus clothesline but Chance ducked and hit a Codebreaker. Chance and Carter tried a double-team move but Natalya powerbombed them both off the ropes. Carter blocked a suplex and hit a superkick. Carter and Chance hit their double team “Keg Stand” move for the pinfall win. (Carter cut off Nox before she could break up the cover.)
— Green was irate when Carter and Chance won. Cole was understandably confused and noted that somebody had to win the match. Carter and Chance knocked Green off the apron.
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[THIRD HOUR]
Cody Rhodes/Shinsuke Nakamura segment
A very focused Cody Rhodes entered (in his gear). He didn’t start with his usual line.
Rhodes said the first time he encountered poison mist was as a child and he was terrified of the man who did it — The Great Muta. After having seen it up close last week, he realized his fears as a child were justified.
However, it was his own fault for not paying attention to the clues being dropped by Shinsuke Nakamura. He was focused on his greater aspirations including the Royal Rumble. Nakamura had his attention and he was ready. Rhodes invited Nakamura to emerge from the shadows and explain himself — or he could march to the ring and they could fight right now.
Nakamura appeared on the screen. Nakamura said he made Rhodes’ eyes burn last week but tonight he would open them. He would show Rhodes what he wasn’t seeing: the path they’ve taken is the same story. Clips aired of both men winning the Rumble match only to fall short at WrestleMania. (Nakamura against AJ Styles, Rhodes against Roman Reigns.)
Nakamura said they suffered the same humiliation and were left with pages unwritten. The devil in Rhodes’ mind was that he would never make it back. Rhodes has awoken Nakamura who would unburden him and take the story off his hands. Nakamura never got to finish his story, so now he would finish Cody’s.
They cut back to Rhodes who said their stories were not the same even if they shared a similar path. Rhodes wouldn’t respect Nakamura unless he faced him in the ring. If Nakamura thought they were the same — he should prove it.
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Jey Uso asked Adam Pearce for an update on Zayn. Pearce said he was still being evaluated. Jey threatened to go after McIntyre but Pearce reminded him that he had bigger things to focus on tonight. Jey was well aware and was pumped up for his match. Jey left.
Gunther approached Pearce and they agreed to talk over some ideas.
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The Creed Brothers (w/Ivy Nile) defeated JD McDonagh & NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio (10:48)
Brutus did squats with Dom up in a delayed vertical suplex and the crowd began cheering but the cheers were for Truth who made his way down to join Judgment Day at ringside (while holding a Buffalo Bills WWE title belt). Dom shoved Julius off the apron and McDonagh wiped out both Creeds with a dive ahead of a break. (Dom and JD posed while sitting on the apron, not unlike DIY.)
Dom tried three amigos but Brutus countered and hit a suplex of his own. Julius tagged in and handed out several overhead suplexes to both men, kipping up after each one. The crowd got into that. Dom yanked Brutus off the apron as McDonagh dropped Julius on his head with a poisonrana. Dom hit Julius with a 619 for two.
Brutus pounced Dom over the announce table moments before the Creeds hit the combo Brutus Ball on McDonagh for the pinfall win.
(This was pretty good and they brought more life out of the crowd than some third-hour matches we’ve seen lately.)
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Adam Pearce informed Seth Rollins that he has invited CM Punk to Raw next week and planned on signing him to an exclusive Raw contract. Rollins laughed and said he didn’t care. Rollins said Pearce had to do his own business but when this blew up in his face, to stay out of his (Rollins’) business.
Jey approached Rollins. Jey said he’s been waiting 15 years for this and he was looking at the next world champion. Rollins said he would stomp Jey’s head in the first chance he got. Jey said he’d kick his face off the first chance he got. They bumped fists.
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Priest asked McDonagh and Dom what happened in their match. McDonagh blamed it on Truth being out there in a Ripley shirt. Dom warned Priest that the Creeds were legit. McDonagh was confident in Priest and Bálor but agreed with Dom’s sentiment. Priest understood.
(Gunther could be seen admonishing Kaiser in the background.)
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Raw next week in Cleveland:
- Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
- CM Punk appears
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Cole said tonight was an emotional one for Jey because it was 14 years ago today since the passing of Umaga and Jey has dedicated the match to him.
Seth Rollins defeated Jey Uso to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (22:55)
This was an excellent WWE-style main event.
After a break, Rollins hit a running knee strike, springboard senton and lionsault for two. Jey came back with a pop-up neckbreaker for two and a backbreaker for two. Rollins set up for a powerbomb into the barricade but Jey blocked it and hit a DDT on the outside.
They exchanged strikes after a break. Rollins hit a suicide dive but Jey fought back and hit one of his own. They both went down after colliding with crossbody attempts. Jey hammered away at Rollins (as the crowd yelled “Yeet”) but Rollins dropped him with a clothesline. There was a modest “CM Punk” chant directed at Rollins.
Jey followed with an enziguri and a running hip attack but Rollins followed with a slingblade and frog splash for two. Rollins hit a superkick but Jey hit two superkicks and hit an Uso splash for a nearfall. Rollins followed with a superplex into a falcon arrow for two. Rollins followed immediately with a Pedigree for a nearfall. Jey followed with a spear for a nearfall.
Jey went for another spear but Rollins kicked him and hit a buckle bomb. Rollins seemed to be going for the stomp but Jey speared him and hit another Uso splash for a very close nearfall. The crowd chanted “Holy shit.”
Jey hit a superkick and tried another spear but Rollins countered that into a Pedigree. Rollins followed with a curb stomp for the pinfall win.
— Jey shook hands with Rollins after the match.
As Jey was hunched over outside the ring, McIntyre (wearing a hood) flew in and dropped him with a Claymore Kick. Rollins tried a dive but McIntyre caught him and suplexed him. McIntyre slammed Jey through the table as the crowd booed. McIntyre grabbed Jey by the head and told him that the truth would set him free.
(This was a good closing angle that Cole tried to ruin by stating, “Drew McIntyre is a bad dude with issues.”)