SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE RAW RESULTS
MAY 18, 2026
GREENSBORO, N.C. AT FIRST HORIZON COLISEUM
STREAMED LIVE ON NETFLIX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 9,338 tickets had been distributed; arena set up for 9,761. The arena has a capacity of 22,000 spectators when configured for concerts. On the previous visit one year ago this week (5/16/2025) for a Smackdown, it drew 11,883, another year-over-year drop in attendance.
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[HOUR ONE]
-Michael Cole introduced the show as they showed an aerial view of Greensboro, N.C. He said it was the first time in two years WWE Raw had been in that city.
-A video recap aired of the Bloodline-Jacob Fatu saga at Backlash and since.
-Roman got out of a car and slammed the door shut. He was handed his title belt by a worker (whom he was too much of a “big shot in a bad mood” to treat like a fellow human being). Then G.M. Adam Pearce walked up and told Roman if he had just listened to him last week, none of this would have happened because Fatu would have been fired. Pearce said that as a result, they’re going to do things his way and reiterated that he needed to be fired. Roman said he is calling his ass out right now.” Pearce said he needs to be fired tonight. Fatu’s music played and he walked out. Cole said Roman was going to call out Fatu, but Fatu “beat him to the punch.”
Fatu entered the ring and told Roman to get his punk ass out there. The Usos music played and they came out. Jimmy asked Fatu what he is doing. He said he lost at Backlash and he was supposed to acknowledge Roman, but he didn’t. “It’s like you choose the hardest path to follow,” he said. He said because he put his hands on management, they’re about to fire his ass. He said he isn’t thinking, despite wanting the better house, better schools, nicer cars. He asked if he wanted to go back to prison. Jey paced behind Jimmy with a chair and made a move toward Fatu. Fatu blocked it and knocked Jey down and then put the Tongan Death Grip on Jimmy. Jey bashed Fatu with a chair, but Fatu no-sold it. Cole said Fatu is a different breed. Fatu then put the Tongan Death Grip on Jey. Fans chanted “OTC!” and then Roman’s music played.
Reigns walked out and Fatu stood and turned around and waited for him. They stared each other down. Roman took a swing. Fatu punched back. Roman kicked Fatu into the corner and then went for a Superman Punch, but Fatu blocked him with a Tongan Death Griup. Jey made the save with a spear. Jimmy landed a top rope splash. The Usos gave Fatu a 1D. The Usos wrapped Fatu’s arms in the ropes and then Reigns landed two Superman Punch. The Usos stereo superkicked Fatu. Reigns then hit a spear. Fans chanted, “OTC!”
Reigns walked up to Pearce on the stage. “What happens now,” asked Corey Graves on commentary. Reigns said he can do whatever he wants now including “firing his ass.” As Pearce began to speak, Fatu asked Reigns to return to the ring. “Roman! Tribal Combat!” (It kind of sounded like he said, “Roman! Tribal! Come back!” Pearce tried to talk Roman out of going back. Roman grabbed the mic from Pearce as Pearce mouthed, “It’s not worth it.” Roman said, “I accept.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Again, there’s something about WWE crowds now in their response to many angles, but this on especially, where the reactions feel more based on “communal chant opportunities” than a genuine emotional buy-in. I don’t think fans despise Fatu all that much, and the three-on-one attack frankly felt a bit out of proportion to Fatu’s offenses in the storyline, plus fans still kinda like Fatu. Add in hot-head Jey is the one who started the whole physical altercation and Fatu had been pacing but controlling himself up to that point, it felt especially excessive. I get the family/gang justification for the beatdown, in a storyline sense, but I don’t think the crowd was on board in an ideal way where they were invested in seeing Fatu take that amount of a beatdown three-on-one. It made him a bit sympathetic in the moment. Maybe, though, that’s what WWE wants at this point. Perhaps this is leading to a place where it makes sense that Roman has been kind of a self-centered dick and Fatu has been painted all along as having his motivations in the right place but lacking discipline to get there without causing himself trouble. It’s hard to imagine the minds involved in putting this together don’t see how having Fatu no-sell a chairshot and take a three-on-beating and that Jey started it all because he’s unable to control himself doesn’t paint Fatu in a sympathetic light even if he has had been stubborn and heelish in his own actions at times in recent weeks.)
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. They said there have been only two previous Tribal Combat matches, and Reigns has been part of them both and won both. Graves said there are no rules, no countouts, no DQs, and the loser must acknowledge the winner as their Tribal Chief. He said he hoped Fatu knows what he is doing and characterized it as a sign of a desperate man.
-They showed wrestlers arriving including Seth Rollins, Oba Femi, and The Judgment Day five-some.
-A vignette aired with Finn Balor and JD McDonaugh discussing their history and their match up next.
-Balor made his ring entrance. [c]
-A graphic noted Je’Von Evans was born and raised in Greensboro.
(1) FINN BALOR vs. JD MCDONAGH – Street Fight
The bell rang 22 minutes into the hour. Balor clotheslined JD out of the ring and threw him into the steps at ringside. Cole said this is a rubber match between them after splitting the first two matches. Balor threw several kendo sticks and chairs into the ring. JD recovered and hit Balor with kendo sticks. He wedged a chair in the corner. Balor recovered and bashed JD with a kendo stick. JD countered with a Russian leg sweep. Balor came back and threw JD into the chair. Balor pulled a table out of the ring. JD dove through the ropes and tackled Balor. JD dumped Balor into the time keeper’s area and then they fought into the crowd, which Cole annoying referred to as the “WWE Universe.” (Like, is the ring and ringside area not part of the WWE Universe? Why is it just the crowd area?) JD leaped off an equipment platform and landed a moonsault. Both were down and slow to get up as they cut to a break at 4:30 as fans chanted “Holy shit!” [c]
They were back in the ring after the break. Balor was in control until JD slammed him onto a chair and landed a standing moonsault for a two count at 8:00. A minute later, Balor dropkicked JD through a table leaning in the corner. Balor climbed to the top rope and went for a Coup de Grace, but JD moved and then powerbombed Balor and scored a near fall. An actual “JD Sucks!” chant broke out as he set up a table in the ring. As Balor climbed to the top rope, Dominik Mysterio ran out and pulled on Balor’s boots. JD then superplexed Balor through the table as Graves emphasized that “it’s all legal.” JD draped his arm over Balor and scored a two count. Fans chanted, “Dom, you suck!”
Advertised Matches & Appearances
- Paige & Brie Bella vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match
- “Original” El Grande Americano & Los Americanos Hermanos vs. El Grande Americano & Los Americanos – Trios Tornado Tag Team match
- Oba Femi Open Challenge continues
- Roman Reigns to respond to Jacob Fatu’s attack on The Bloodline
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