WWE Raw 11/23/20
Matchcard / Timing / Channels / Infos
Video Highlights removed as new show uploaded
Back to Content Links
WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 23
- Sana Ejaz Khan
- Credit: WWE.com
After winning the battle for brand supremacy, WWE Raw hit the USA Network looking forward to the TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view with new feuds, the latest developments in existing ones and a showdown between former tag team championship-winning partners.
What went down in the fallout from the annual fall classic, and how will it affect the brand in the weeks to come?
Find out with this recap of the November 23 episode.
Team Raw's Celebration
Credit: WWE.com
WWE official Adam Pearce kicked off the show, suggesting that one member of the victorious Team Raw would have the opportunity to challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship.
Sheamus balked at the idea of AJ Styles being the leader of the team and then brought up his long and sordid history with McIntyre. Keith Lee reminded Styles that he pinned the other team's captain to win the match, and Riddle repeated the word "dope" over and over again, in case you didn't already get his gimmick.
Braun Strowman took exception to being the last to state his case, grabbing Pearce by the collar and demanding that he be chosen before shoving his superior to the mat.
Styles and Co. checked on Pearce heading into the break.
Grade
C-
Analysis
This was...not particularly great.
Strowman snapping and assaulting Pearce felt really out of place considering he could have made like any of his teammates and jumped into the bickering any time he damn well pleased. Under those circumstances, being pissed off that you were chosen to go last seems silly and irrational.
Everything that preceded it was almost painful to watch, particularly Riddle's contributions.
Bad writing and worse delivery only further drag a segment deeper into the depths of the creative abyss.
This was proof positive.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: New Day vs. The Hurt Business
Credit: WWE.com
Set up by a confrontation earlier in the evening, The New Day's Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods defended the Raw Tag Team Championships against The Hurt Business' Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander in a rematch from a week ago.
Benjamin and Alexander dominated early, sending Woods to the arena floor heading into the commercial break.
Back from the break, Kingston attempted to headbutt his way out of a superplex, only to be knocked from the top rope. He and Alexander fought on the floor but were late getting back to the ring, leading to a double count-out finish.
Confusion reigned supreme, the viewing audience even overhearing the official call The Hurt Business the winner. Eventually, after some nudging from MVP, the match was restarted.
Kingston fired off rights and lefts, but a scary back body drop to the floor left him nursing a left knee injury. Benjamin and Alexander expertly targeted it, working over the injured joint. Kingston finally created some separation and inched his way toward the corner, only for Alexander to pull Woods off the apron.
Kofi delivered the S.O.S. for a near-fall, but Alexander delivered a cheap chop block and trapped him in a leg lock. Kingston broke free and finally made the hot tag to Woods. The UpUpDownDown host exploded into the match and nearly scored the fall on more than one occasion.
Woods survived an Angle Slam from Benjamin and delivered a sunset flip bomb for the win.
Result
New Day defeated The Hurt Business
Grade
C+
Analysis
Two commercial breaks and unnecessarily complicated booking plagued what would have been a great match on its own merit and talent.
Instead, it was merely good, with a gutsy performance from Kingston and a nice explosion from Woods.
The major issue with the entire ordeal was how bad it made The Hurt Business look.
Benjamin and Alexander could not win last week. They could not capitalize on a restarted match tonight to win the titles, and they let a New Day fighting from underneath because of a knee injury retain the titles. There is no logical reason The Hurt Business should be granted a rematch of any kind moving forward.
Knowing Vinnie Mac and his creative formula, we will see these two teams in a ladder match or table match come December 20, just cuz.
Riddle vs. Sheamus
Credit: WWE.com
After taking the cases of several Superstars under consideration, Adam Pearce announced three singles matches for tonight's show. The winners would meet next week in a Triple Threat match to determine the No. 1 contender to Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship at TLC.
First up, Riddle vs. Sheamus.
An intensely physical battle saw Sheamus ground The Original Bro and work a submission style. Riddle countered into an armbar that forced The Celtic Warrior into the ropes for the break.
Riddle turned the tide in his favor, delivering an exploder suplex on the floor and following with the Bro-ton back inside the squared circle. Sheamus recovered and delivered the Irish Curse backbreaker for a near-fall.
Riddle answered with a barrage of kicks about the chest and body of his opponent, but Sheamus rocked him heading into the commercial timeout.
Back from the break, Riddle delivered a Floating Bro on the outside, but Sheamus responded with the Cloverleaf as he sought a submission victory. Riddle fought out but quickly found himself trapped in the heel hook. He stayed alive and rocked Sheamus with a kick to the head.
A Final Flash knee to the face put Sheamus down for two, leaving Riddle stunned. The fight headed to the ropes, where Sheamus delivered White Noise for yet another two-count as exhaustion set in.
A series of late-match roll-ups gave way to a modified victory roll for the upset victory, leaving Sheamus dismayed and irate.
Result
Riddle defeated Sheamus
Grade
B+
Analysis
This was a kick-ass wrestling match, superphysical throughout, that probably could have lost five or so minutes and still been excellent.
This is the first time we have seen Sheamus and Riddle given the opportunity to have that type of match, and they did not disappoint. With a ton of television time to work with and the opportunity to beat the unholy hell out of each other, they produced a physical war that put over just how important advancing to next week's Triple Threat match really is.
High stakes, high energy and huge effort make this an easy thumbs-up.
'Firefly Fun House'
Credit: WWE.com
Another week brought with it another edition of the "Firefly Fun House."
This week's topic? Friendship.
Bray Wyatt again made reference to Randy Orton burning down the Wyatt Compound before encouraging Alexa Bliss to dismantle her friendship with Nikki Cross. She battered Friendship Frog and then observed a moment of silence for the departed amphibian.
"It's a real shame he...croaked," Wyatt said before breaking out into laughter.
"See you soon, Nikki," he ended the segment.
Grade
A
Analysis
The dark humor and over-the-top nature of the "Firefly Fun House" segments are so refreshing that no matter how weird, twisted or disturbing they may be, they are a welcome addition to the WWE product.
This was centered around a concept and further established the dark turn for Bliss. The result was a fun and harmless few minutes.
Something that can be said about most of these segments from the mind of Wyatt.
Asuka vs. Lana Gives Way to Tag Team Action
Credit: WWE.com
After lucking her way into the "sole survivor" at Survivor Series, Lana received a Raw Women's Championship match against Asuka on Monday night.
Unfortunately, before the match could begin, Women's Tag Team champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler let their presence be felt, attacking Asuka and drawing a disqualification. Jax and Baszler challenged Asuka and Lana, a challenge the babyfaces accepted.
Back from the break, a fired-up Lana unloaded on Baszler until Jax reached in and pulled her to the mat by her hair. The heels proceeded to work over her, punishing the overmatched competitor and cutting her off from her partner.
Baszler tried for a baseball slide but missed, allowing Lana to make the tag to The Empress.
The Raw Women's champion delivered a Codebreaker to Baszler, uncorked a hip attack in the corner and followed with a German suplex.
At ringside, Jax attempted to put Lana through the announce table, but The Ravishing Russian dodged and The Irresistible Force rushed over it.
Baszler applied the clutch to Lana through the ropes, allowing Asuka to seize the opening and score the pinfall victory.
Result
Asuka and Lana defeated Jax and Baszler
Grade
C
Analysis
The story here was all about Lana getting over at Jax's expense once more, and from that perspective, it succeeded.
The match, though, was not good and felt like a major waste of Asuka. It is something we should probably get used to, though, as it certainly feels like Lana and Asuka vs. Jax and Baszler will be the pay-per-view match.
Presumably in a tables match, which would make sense given the long story preceding the program.
Keith Lee vs. Bobby Lashley
Credit: WWE.com
Keith Lee battled United States champion Bobby Lashley (accompanied by MVP) in a match to determine the second entrant in next week's Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's match.
The big men locked up and engaged in a test of strength, each jockeying for position early. Lee missed a blind charge in the corner, and Lashley delivered a big clothesline that barely stunned The Limitless One. The Flatliner put Lee down for a one-count, and Lashley failed to apply the Hurt Lock.
Lee fought out and quickly allowed himself to become distracted by MVP. Lashley rocked Lee at ringside and sent him face-first into the ring post heading into the commercial.
The All Mighty grounded Lee, looking to take away his raw power. He delivered a big suplex and teased the Hurt Lock, but Lee fought out. Lee leapfrogged Lashley, sending the U.S. champion crashing into the middle turnbuckle. A big pounce sent Lashley to the floor. A crossbody on the floor flattened Lashley as his larger opponent built momentum.
On the floor, MVP sent Lee into the ring post behind the official's back. Lee fought out of the Hurt Lock, drawing MVP into the ring for the save as the referee called for the bell.
Result
Lee defeated Lashley via disqualification
Grade
C-
Analysis
This wasn't very good.
A lack of chemistry, no semblance of story and an overreliance on the Hurt Lock teases made for a fairly tedious match.
And that is a major disappointment given the explosiveness of Lee and the raw power of Lashley. They simply did not mesh on this night.
Making matters worse? The idea that MVP would intentionally get his man disqualified, costing him a chance at more gold for The Hurt Business.
Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross
Credit: WWE.com
After a video package recapping the lengthy journey to the match, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross did battle, former tag team partners waging war in an intensely personal match.
Bliss toyed with Cross early, but Nikki unloaded weeks of frustration on her former friend. As Cross became more and more aggressive, Bliss dropped to her knees and cried tears of confusion. "I don't know what's happening," she said before embracing her former partner.
Bliss dropped her with an STO and scored the win.
After the match, Cross looked on in disbelief while a smiley Bliss made her way up the ramp.
Result
Bliss defeated Cross
Grade
A
Analysis
Less of a match, more of a story, this was some excellent storytelling.
Bliss dragged aggression, anger and frustration out of Cross and then proceeded to use her emotions against her. She suckered Cross in, showing her a glimpse of the Lexi she became best friends with. Then she dropped her, just like she dropped her out of her life the moment Bray Wyatt and The Fiend came along.
It was great stuff that, hopefully, will only further the story and add layers to both Bliss and Cross' characters.
AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton
Credit: WWE.com
In the third match to determine the final competitor for next week's Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's match, Randy Orton squared off with AJ Styles, accompanied by his massive unnamed bodyguard.
Styles used The Viper's early aggression against him and, after the final break of the night, worked over Orton's leg with a brutal shin lock. Orton finally escaped the grasp of his opponent but quickly found himself in the Calf Crusher as The Phenomenal One attempted to force a tapout.
Orton made it to the ropes by his fingertips, just barely necessitating the break.
Styles delivered an enzuigiri, rocking Orton as he continued his relative dominance. As the fight spilled outside the ring, The Fiend appeared, providing a distraction that completely caught Orton off guard. As The Viper delivered a draping DDT, the lights went out and The Fiend appeared, startling Orton and setting him up for the Phenomenal Forearm.
Styles scored the win to advance to next week's Triple Threat match.
Result
Styles defeated Orton
Grade
C+
Analysis
The match itself was merely OK, but The Fiend's appearance was fantastic, and the impending feud with Orton should be a lot of fun. Especially taking into consideration the lengthy history between them.
Styles winning sets him up to be the most logical option to challenge McIntyre at TLC, and his presence in next week's three-way lends it the much-needed heel centerpiece to feed off babyfaces Riddle and Lee. At the very least, the match should be damn fun and a quality main event to the show to boot.
