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WWE RAW RESULTS
MAY 25, 2026
COLUMBUS, OHIO AT SCHOTTENSTEIN CENTER
STREAMED LIVE ON NETFLIX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Attendance: WrestleTix reports today that 9,141 tickets were distributed so far; arena set up for 9,793. The arena has a capacity of 20,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOW
PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Derrick Hubbard to review WWE Raw LIVE. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Raw during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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[HOUR ONE]
-After “Then, Now, Forever, Together,” Michael Cole introduced the show as a camera panned the crowd.
-They went center-ring to Paul Heyman (notably skipping the footage of wrestlers entering the arena or a scene outside the arena, as WWE has been consistently doing). He hyped Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar as taking place in the first hour of Clash in Italy on ESPN on Sunday afternoon. He was pacing the ring and looking intense. He introduced himself and welcomed everyone to Monday Night Raw. He said he was there to hype them on a match that needs no hype. He called it the biggest rematch in WWE history. Fans chanted “Oba! Oba!” He told the fans if he has a mic in his hand, “please shut the hell up.” He said Oba will step into the ring and be conquered.
A video package aired on Lesnar who said he didn’t get a chance to congratulate Oba on his WrestleMania win last week. He said Oba’s victory at WrestleMania will cost him more than he could ever imagine. He said he’s had his fair share of ass-kickings over the years, but none like at the hands of Oba. He said it was so severe, he said he was done. He said that didn’t set well with him, “and it’s not going to end that way, Oba Femi.” He said he can take an ass-whipping, “but can you?” He said he will conquer Oba Femi. “I am gonna rule over Oba Femi,” he concluded.
(Keller’s Analysis: Perfect. This confirms that, in canon, Lesnar didn’t retire as a swerve, but because the beating was so severe, he couldn’t imagine going on, but it turned out that he got restless and had to come back. Whether it was the plan all along or an option in their mind at the time or made up in the last week, it works perfectly fine. It removes the reason fans would have to be upset that he didn’t really retire even if it would have made for a hell of a retirement moment. It is now canon that he was so devastated by the loss, he really did decide to walk away. It wasn’t meant to “fool” fans or be deceptive, but actually it was an essential part of the story.)
Back live to Heyman, he said the bad news for everyone who worships Oba Femi is that Oba Femi has awakened The Beast. He repeated that a few times. He said that means one thing. At that point, Oba’s music played and he walked out to his music.
Oba cornered Heyman and asked him what he think four F5’s awakened in him. He said he was going to fast-forward to the end. “My favorite part, where I retire Brock Lesnar for the second time,” he said. He said Heyman says it’s all business, not personal. He said four F5’s felt very personal to him. He held up the Clash in Italy contract and signed it against Heyman’s chest. “Deliver me this message to Brock,” he said. “Tell him the last time I was fighting to beat him; this time I’m fighting to kill him.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Oba’s demeanor is so believable and alpha in a context as big as this. I could have done without him saying he is aiming to kill him. How about maim, embarrass, humble, or retire him instead. They all work and they’re all within the realm of what you could imagine actually happening. Now he’s said he’s aiming for something everyone knows he’s not actually going to do because this isn’t “Game of Thrones,” it’s WWE.)
-A highlight package aired on the Austin Theory & Logan Paul vs. Street Profits match at Saturday Night’s Main Event with music in the background.
-They showed Roman Reigns arriving and being handed his title. He interacted with the guy in a friendly way before knocking a gift box out of his hands and moving on.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was fun. Reigns treated the assistant guy like a fellow human at first, but then he got to be a little too much, and Reigns moved on and rolled his eyes and smirked a bit.)
-Penta began his ring entrance. [c]
(1) PENTA vs. JE’VON EVANS – Intercontinental Title match
They did formal ring introductions. The bell rang 19 minutes into the hour. At 2:00 Evans talked to the camera as he began to run the ropes and then leap over the top rope onto Penta at ringside. Back in the ring, Penta kicked Evans and scored a two count. Evans went for another dive to ringside a minute later, but Penta side-stepped him and shoved him hard into the edge of the announce table. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Evans was in the midst of scoring a two count. Evans landed a springboard cutter a minute later for a near fall. Penta came back with a leaping back-stabber for a two count. Evans landed a springboard OG Cutter on the ring apron. Evans favored his back after the landing, but threw Penta into the ring and scored a two count. Penta caught Evans seconds later with a Penta Driver for a believable near fall. Evans landed a top rope huracanrana. Penta kicked Evans out of mid-air as Evans went for an OG Cutter. Evans then went for an OG Cutter, but Penta turned it into a back-stabber. He followed with a Mexican Destroyer for the three count.
Penta congratulated Evans on a hard fight. He raised Evans’ arm. Evans yanked it away and left the ring, looking frustrated.
WINNER: Penta in 12:00 to retain the Intercontinental Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a spectacular 12 minutes of the type of action you’d expect from those two.)
-They plugged Clash in Italy and showed a scene of Italy.
-Cole announced that Logan Paul suffered a torn triceps in the match at Saturday Night’s Main Event and would be out of action for months. They showed the dive at ringside where it happened and Logan’s reaction to the injury.
-Backstage, Theory approached Heyman and tried to hand him the tag title belt because he didn’t know what to do with it. Heyman stood and said he always put in the contracts that The Vision were the champions, without specific names. He said that means he gets to keep the tag titles and defend them with a new partner, Bron Breakker. Theory startled Heyman with an enthusiastic, sudden hug. He said he was so happy. He said he wanted to make the responsible parties pay a price. Heyman liked that and told him that means he knows what to do and to whom. [c]
-Joe Hendry was singing about wanting to fire Logan Paul. Fans sang along. (Talk about kicking someone when they’re down.) Theory entered the ring and bashed Hendry with a chair over and over. He also bashed him across his head when it was near the ringpost, hitting the ringpost mostly. Officials pushed Theory away as he hyperventilated and admired his work.
-Angelo Dawkins was shown walking backstage for no apparent reason when Seth Rollins walked up to him. Seth said he wasn’t trying to start anything, but he wanted to point out he did what he said, which was stay out of his business. He said with Logan out, they can end The Vision for good, but they have to work together since he’s never seen Theory like that. Montez Ford walked in and said nothing good happens when Seth is around. Seth said nothing good happened when he wasn’t there for them at SNME or else they’d be tag champions. He said they don’t need to be friends, but they have a common enemy. He said only one of them is a multi-time World Champion who has headlined WrestleMania. Ford said that’s true, but he’s never stabbed a friend in the back. Ford challenged him to a match tonight. Seth agreed to it.
-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. Cole said Raw next Monday airs at 2 p.m. ET and 11 a.m. PT in the U.S. since it’s taking place in the evening in Italy.
-A video package aired on the mask vs. mask match at Noches de Los Grandes this Saturday night on Facebook and YouTube.
-A camera was shooting Je’Von walking down the hallway for no apparent reason when Penta showed up. Evans apologized for how he handled his loss. He said he was frustrated with himself for his unprofessional reaction. He said he will see him for that title again very soon. Rey Mysterio walked up to Penta and congratulated him for his IC Title defense. They spoke in Spanish. Penta then said for his legacy, there is no one he’d rather defend against next than Rey Mysterio. Rey said he liked that idea. Penta said he’d go talk to G.M. Adam Pearce.
-Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez made their ring entrance, accompanied by Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan.
(2) RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ & ROXANNE PEREZ vs. BAYLEY & LYRA VALKYRIA
Raquel and Roxanne attacked Lyra and Bayley before the bell. When Bayley and Lyra recovered and fought back, the ref called for the bell 52 minutes into the hour. Raquel took both Bayley and Lyra down with a flying crossbody at 2:00. Cole talked about the Knicks vs. Cavs and the Dahnausen curse involvement. (Cole needlessly and rudely gave away an aspect of the game in progress, punishing fans who wanted to watch Raw live and then the NBA game on DVR right afterward. I bet there are no Raw spoilers on the NBA telecast.) They cut to a break at 4:00. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
Liv put Roxanne’s leg on the bottom rope during a pin attempt. The ref caught her and booted her to the back. Raquel clotheslined Bayley at ringside. Lyra leaped at Raquel at ringside. Lyra and Roxanne battled in the ring next. They showed Dom at ringside coming up with a plan with Liv as Liv returned to the back. Dom stood on the ring apron to distract the ref as Raquel shoved Bayley off the top rope. Roxanne landed Pop Rocks for a near fall on Bayley. Lyra was a bit late with the save, so Bayley ended up having to kick out of Roxanne’s finisher.
Four-way action broke out next. Raquel dumped Lyra over the top rope. Lyra’s left knee hit the edge of the ring apron. She clutched it immediately, indicating an injury. Dom distracted the ref so Roxanne could use a tag belt as a weapon. Bayley and Roxanne had a tug-o-war over a tag belt, but Roxanne ended up being knocked into Dom on the ring apron and hitting him with the belt. Bayley then pinned Roxanne. Lyra was able to stand at ringside and congratulate Bayley, but she was limping a bit.
WINNERS: Lyra & Bayley in 12:00.
-A video recap aired of the Roman Reigns, Usos, Jacob Fatu segment last week.
-Reigns chatted with Pearce backstage. Pearce said he understands Tribal Combat, but he said Fatu shouldn’t even be employed by WWE anymore. Reigns said he didn’t want to go back to his old ways, but he wanted to show him the power and stroke he had. He said he didn’t know Fatu even knew about Tribal Combat. He said he has an obligation to accept that challenge. He said if Fatu loses, he must serve him. “If he beats me, good luck because we’re all screwed,” he told Pearce.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s a good follow-up to last week’s angle if the idea is to underline the high stakes and potential ramifications. Reigns seemed more human and likable there, as he showed the stress he was dealing with and the pressure he felt as the leader of the family. It doesn’t change that Fatu seemed more like a babyface last week than Reigns and the Usos, though.)
-Cole threw to a video package on Memorial Day, honoring soldiers who sacrificed their lives. Cody Rhodes narrated the video. [c]
-They showed The Street Profits and Bayley visiting the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
-LA Knight made his entrance. He said next week on Raw, the King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring tournaments begin, and he’s throwing his name in the hat. He said if he wins the tournament, he’s aiming for Roman. Mild applause. He asked where that leaves the Usos and Roman. He said Roman is “the most corrupt champion” he’s ever known. He said he was trying to stir up the Bloodline of old. He said the Usos now aren’t the same Usos he once knew. The Usos music interrupted and Jimmy Uso made his entrance.
Jimmy reminded Knight he fought side-by-side with him at WrestleMania against The Vision. Knight said it isn’t the same now with Reigns as it was three-on-one last week. Jimmy said he gets why Knight is “all up in their business” about The Bloodline. He said they had a few years there where it “got ugly for everybody.” He said they did what they had to do, but it’s not like that anymore. He told Knight he can go for King of the Ring and then end up with a fair shot at Reigns.
Knight asked if he’s being fair and honest with him and himself. He said last week they were about to attack Fatu two-on-one, and Jey had a chair in his hand. He said he seems like basically the third fiddle to Roman and he doesn’t want to see him become Roman’s errand boy again.
Jimmy yelled that he’s heard enough about what he and his brother are doing wrong. Knight said he’s proving his point right now. He asked if they’d attack him two-on-one if Jey was there, or three-on-one if Roman joined in. Jimmy said Jey is family business, and he should “tread lightly or else our family will become your business.” He turned to leave, but Knight grabbed his arm. Knight said, “Jim, you’re the one I like.” He said he’s even okay with Jey, but he can’t stand Roman. He said he can’t get the job done on his own. He said if he becomes the business of the family, he’ll make sure they go out of business.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was passionate and both sides made good points. I’m not sure fans wanted to watch them argue like that, but it’s setting up some potentially compelling twists and turns.)
-Backstage Ethan Page walked in on Rey Mysterio and Pearce talking about an IC Title match. Ethan took offense with Pearce gifting others title matches. He asked what Rey did to earn the IC Title match. Pearce said he’s a Hall of Famer. Rusev walked in and asked what was going on. Ethan said Rey is going to jump the line on Rusev. Rusev got worked up and asked how Rey earned the opportunity. Ethan told Pearce to make Rey earn it. Rey said he’d face Rusev to earn it. Pearce said it’s on,
-Seth made his ring entrance. [c]
(3) SETH ROLLINS vs. MONTEZ FORD – Dives to Ringside vs. Dives to Ringside match
Ford’s entrance took place. The bell rang 30 minutes into the hour. They lived up expectations as they each got in dives to ringside in the opening few minutes. They cut to an early break at 3:00. [c]
At 9:00 Seth slipped out of Ford’s torture rack set-up and landed a Pedigree for a believable near fall. Seth sat up and looked frustrated. He looked over at Ford, who was struggling to stand. Seth said if they work together, they don’t need to fight each other. “We want the same thing!” he said. “Are you hearing me?” Ford slapped Seth. Seth gave Ford two buckle bombs. Ford head-scissored out of a third attempt. Ford then landed a running flip dive over the top turnbuckle. Back in the ring, he climbed to the top rope. Cole said, “Ford has a chance.” Ford landed a top rope frog splash for a near fall. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!”
Seth avoided a top rope 450 splash and then landed a Stomp for the win. They went to a wide shot of the ring with both down on their backs after the match.
WINNER: Rollins in 12:00.
-Theory went after Dawkins on the stage with a chair afterward. Theory bashed the chair against the floor and entirely missed Dawkin’s head, but might’ve given him an ear ache. Pearce told Theory he was sick. Theory marched to the back, looking self-satisfied. Cole said Theory flipped a switch tonight. [c]
-They showed an aerial shot of Columbus.
-Cole and Graves reacted to the Seth vs. Ford match.
-Backstage, Ford said Theory found a perfect time to hit his brother when he was busy having a match. Seth ran in and asked if Dawkins was okay. Ford said Dawkins “needs us.” Seth agreed. Ford walked away to check on Dawkins. Seth said he wanted “the head of the snake.” He asked for a match against Bron Breakker as soon as possible. Pearce said he’d go work on it.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s great seeing Ford in new contexts, such as a singles match, being more serious in general, and showing more range in a complex story. I also like the journey they took to Ford agreeing to work with Seth.)
-Cole and Theory hyped Clash in Italy. Cole said Oba vs. Lesnar and Cody vs. Gunther would both be free in the first hour. The Reigns vs. Fatu match would headline the PLE portion.
-Cathy Kelley interviewed Becky Lynch backstage about defending against Sol Ruca at the Clash. Becky talked about her name being etched in stone forever. She said there’s a difference between striving for greatness and standing opposite of it. “Welcome to the big time,” she said.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was as close as you get these days to an old-style territory promo with someone holding a mic and interviewing a wrestler with a backdrop behind them as they cut a brief promo. Becky was good there.)
-Rey began his ring entrance. [c]
(4) REY MYSTERIO vs. RUSEV – Winner Earns Future IC Title match
Rusev’s ring entrance aired. The bell rang 57 minutes into the hour. Ethan joined in on commentary. Ray baited Rusev into chasing him around ringside, then set up a 619. Rusev countered with a back elbow and took control. Cole asked Ethan about his relationship with Rusev. Ethan said he considers him family and wants to help him succeed. Cole asked if Rusev knows he considers himself family. Ethan said, “Of course.” He said he talks with him all the time.
Rey came back and leaped at Rusev at ringside, but Rusev caught his legs and swung him hard into the ringside barricade.
[HOUR THREE]
[c]
Rusev was in control after the break. Cole asked who invited Ethan to join them. Graves said he invited Ethan to join them. Rey mounted Rusev in the corner and punched away at him as fans counted along. Rey went for a sunset flip, but Rusev blocked it and sat down. Rey moved, though, and landed a seated senton. He followed with a moonsault for a two count at 8:00. Rusev came back and landed a uranage and then a Machka kick.
Rey surprised Rusev with a modified 619. When he went for a full-fledged 619, Rusev blocked it. Rey, though, blocked Rusev’s attempt at an Accolade and rolled him up for a three count.
WINNER: Rey in 10:00.
-Rusev attacked Rey afterward. Ethan said the result didn’t matter, but this is what he wanted. Cole said that’s because Ethan only wanted Rey taken out. Dragon Lee charged out for the save. Ethan said he should mind his own business. Ethan went after Dragon Lee, but Lee knocked him out of the ring and then beat up Rusev. He then dove onto Ethan at ringside and returned to the ring to give Rusev an Operation Dragon. He celebrated with Rey. An angry Ethan and Rusev returned to the back.
-Pearce told Theory that he must leave after what he did earlier. Theory told him he is talking to the tag team champion. Pearce said that was enough and he’s done for the night. Heyman told Pearce that Theory has crossed a line and he walked away with him, assuring Pearce he would reprimand him. He looked back to be sure Pearce heard him saying Theory was wrong, but he didn’t really feel that way. They walked past Otis, Akira Tozawa, and Maxxine Dupri. Theory shot them a look. Otis said it smells like bad news.
-Cole threw to a video package on the Oba vs. Lesnar match. Cole then hyped the King and Queen tournaments starting next week.
-Pearce stood in the ring with the contract signing table set up. Fatu made his entrance. [c]
-Fatu stood in the ring and eyed the contract and then signed it. Fans chanted, “OTC!” Fatu picked up a chair and threw it at a gathering of security at ringside. They charged into the ring and protected Pearce. Fatu shoved some of them. Reigns’s music played and he made his entrance as Fatu stared him down. Cole said Fatu understands everything is on the line for him at the Clash and it’s “do or die” for him. Graves said Reigns is also putting at risk his seat at the Head of the Table and he could have to look at his kids and say he lost it all. Cole said Roman merely survived at Backlash.
Reigns eyed the contract as fans chanted “OTC!” He signed it and handed it to Pearce. Cole said it is now official. Fans sang “Roman, Roman Reigns.” Fatu and Reigns stared each other down. Reigns lifted the mic and said, “Leave us.” Pearce asked Reigns if it wouldn’t be better if he let security do their job. Reigns said Fatu signed the Tribal Combat match and made a blood oath and he cannot touch him until Clash in Italy. Pearce agreed and they all left.
Reigns said, “Columbus, Ohio, acknowledge me.” Reigns told Fatu that all he had to do was acknowledge him and it could’ve been that simple. “Then we could have moved on to the next mission,” he said. Fatu said, “Acknowledge you? Like everybody in here? Hell naw. I ain’t like everybody else.” He said Reigns is the reason their family in the Bloodline is living the life that they have. “You are the reason our family is on top of the mountain,” he said. He said they took their family to the promised land, but he could only take them so far. He said it’s time for a change and another direction and another destination. He said when he talks about honor and respect and living the code of The Bloodline, he said he bent the rules just so he could beat him. “You did what you had to do by any means necessary,” he said. “But at Tribal Combat, anything and everything goes.” He said he was going to “dog walk his bitch ass.”
Reigns said he is a man of his word. He said if Fatu beats him, then he becomes the Head of the Table. “You become the shock collar,” he said. “You lead and I follow. But if you can’t dog walk me, then it looks like I’ll be walking you like a dog. I’ll domesticate you. If you can’t beat me, you will serve me and learn from me and in time you will love your Tribal Chief.”
Fatu said, “Okay. What it looks like is a win for me, then.” He said if he does dog walk his ass, then he “still has a job and ain’t nothing gonna change.” He said when he dog walks Reigns’s ass, everybody – and especially him – will learn how to acknowledge him. Reigns eye twitched. Fatu offered a handshake as the credit appeared on the screen. Reigns shook his hand back. They went forehead to forehead. Reigns meditated on the moment briefly as the show ended.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was great.)
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOW
PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch’s Derrick Hubbard to review WWE Raw LIVE. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Raw during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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Click that link during the post-show to enter the waiting room as “live video caller” (or just audio if you turn off your cam, which is fine).
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