Drew McIntyre, Judgment Day a Bad Mix, Acing Randy Orton's Return, More WWE Raw Takes

WWE Raw continued to build straight toward Survivor Series: WarGames with its November 13 edition.

The Judgment Day struck a deal with Drew McIntyre to protect Damian Priest and Finn Bálor's Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships. What more could come of it?

Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso and Sami Zayn will need some help if the Scot aligns with the heel stable. Could it be Randy Orton who returns to help the babyfaces?

Otis and Shinsuke Nakamura had an engaging battle on Monday, but Alpha Academy lost again. It seems Chad Gable and his crew could be headed for a change and potentially a feud between him and Otis.

Xia Li picked up another impressive win, knocking out Indi Hartwell. Becky Lynch set a challenge to her for next week, which will be the biggest test of the Chinese star's career.

Survivor Series is the last big WWE show of 2023, and Monday's Raw did everything to focus on that.

Keep Drew McIntyre Away From The Judgment Day

Drew McIntyre made a huge impact on Raw. After teasing that he was supporting Seth Rollins, he joined forces with The Judgment Day instead.

While The Scottish Warrior is a powerful ally for Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh, he should not join the stable for the long term.

It took months for McDonagh to work his way into The Judgment Day, and it will invalidate his experience if McIntyre immediately supplants him.

More importantly, the Scot works better on his own. He does not need to replace Bálor or Priest in a new-look stable. He should tell his own story.

If McIntyre is going to be a part of a group, he should be creating his own faction—one that he trusts.

Inevitable Otis vs. Chad Gable Feud Coming

Chad Gable was once the man ready to dethrone Gunther as intercontinental champion. In recent weeks, though, Alpha Academy has lost momentum while falling to the likes of The Creed Brothers and Shinsuke Nakamura.

The positive has been Akira Tozawa joining the group. He has been a great comedic foil who can take falls to protect Gable and Otis.

However, that has not played out in the results. Otis again lost in singles action on Monday. Gable is struggling and likely to lose next week to The Artist just like his tag team partner.

Both are falling behind and growing frustrated. It seems likely one will turn against the other rather than reaching greater heights together.

Gable has huge potential, but Alpha Academy is no longer working in its current form. Tozawa could even be a replacement for Otis leaving soon.

Gable vs. Otis will be a big match at the right time. Hopefully, it can help both men get back on track.

Next Week Will Be the Biggest Match of Xia Li's WWE Career

This year has been one for building others for Becky Lynch. She has given a spotlight to some promising young stars, including Lyra Valkyria, Tiffany Stratton and Tegan Nox.

Her latest project is Xia Li. In 2023, the Chinese Superstar had done very little until the last month, but she is now being pushed in a big way.

She has dominated Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell in recent weeks and now looks toward a one-on-one battle with Lynch next week.

That is a big spot for a woman who has arguably never had a successful run in WWE. Her NXT journey was a struggle, and her main roster run has barely registered.

However, none of that will matter if Li can compete with The Man in the biggest match of her career. It could genuinely make-or-break her in WWE. She needs to show she can deliver a quality match with the company's biggest female star.

Pressure Mounting to Nail Randy Orton's Return

Randy Orton is about ready to return to WWE.

Fightful Select recently reported he will be returning as the fifth man to help Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso and Sami Zayn against The Judgment Day at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 25.

Fans are so ready to see The Viper return that he got a loud chant from the crowd on Raw after the show went off the air.

Orton was last seen in a WWE ring on May 20, 2022 but has been sidelined with a back issue since then. At the age of 43, one more serious injury could end his career.

The Viper is one of the all-time greats in WWE already, but this return and a potential final run must take advantage of his star power and elevate him one last time.

WarGames is a strong start, but WWE needs his star power beyond that. WrestleMania 40 could be a huge spotlight for one of Orton's last great contests.

Pair him up with Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre, Gunther or others to deliver a big match and further establish a top star when he does retire.