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WWE RAW RESULTS (5/26): Keller’s report on Money in the Bank Qualifiers including Seth vs. Sami vs. Balor and Gable vs. Lee vs. Penta, plus Rusev vs. Tozawa, more

By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

WWE RAW REPORT
MAY 26, 2025
TAMPA, FLA. AT YUENGLING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON NETFLIX (WORLDWIDE)
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor

Attendance: WrestleTix reports today that 9,440 tickets were distributed heading into today; arena set up for 9,762. The arena has a capacity of 10,500 spectators when configured for basketball.


CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST


WWE RAW REPORT
MAY 26, 2025
TAMPA, FLA. AT YUENGLING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON NETFLIX (WORLDWIDE)
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor

Attendance: WrestleTix reports today that 9,440 tickets were distributed heading into today; arena set up for 9,762. The arena has a capacity of 10,500 spectators when configured for basketball.


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[HOUR ONE]

-The show opened with a video package of Saturday Night’s Main Event highlights beginning with John Cena pinning R-Truth with an Attitude Adjustment and then hitting him with the WWE Title belt. Then Cena talking with Jey Uso about how “it would almost ruin wrestling” if Logan Paul beat Jey. Then Cena attacking Jey Uso as he was covering Logan for what appeared to be a sure win after a frog splash. Then Cody Rhodes’s run-in, going after Cena, leading to Jey pinning Logan. Cody then told Cena & Logan that he and Jey would see them at Money in the Bank. Then clips of the tag match with C.M. Punk & Sami Zayn vs. Bron Breakker & Seth Rollins including Paul Heyman interfering and then Bronson Reed interfering and helping Breakker and Seth win. Punk then went after Heyman, but he was overwhelmed and splashed by Bronson.

(Keller’s Analysis: From the beginning of this new Heyman group, I thought it’d be a good fit to have a “heavy” as part of the group and at first thought perhaps Rusev or Jeff Cobb, but Bronson Reed is the best of those choices. WWE has been high on Reed and have been looking for ways to elevate him. This could work.)

-As they showed an aerial view of Tampa, Fla., Michael Cole introduced the show. Then they showed the arrival of wrestlers including Jey Uso, Lyra Valkyria, Sami Zayn, and J.D. McDonagh & Finn Balor. Then they cut to the inside of the arena.

-Paul Heyman, Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed came out to Seth’s music. Fans sang along to his music. Cole said the landscape has changed immensely in such a short period of time. Heyman introduced Breakker as an “attack dog” and “true badass in a bloodline of badasses.” He said he’s a key to the future. He predicted he’ll be headlining WrestleManias “45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, and so on.” He said it’s not a prediction, it’s a spoiler. A loud “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out. Heyman said Punk is not there this evening, thanks to Reed.

Heyman then pointed at Reed. He said WWE would never put him in the ring with top tier talent because they were afraid of how reckless he was. “He’s a violent man in a PG era and he’s going to put everyone down in front of him.” He said therefore he went after Seth and gave Seth a more severe beating than Roman Reigns ever did. Fans booed and chanted “OTC!”

Heyman touted Seth and asked the crowd to acknowledge him. Fans then changed “You sold out!” Seth asked who he sold out to. “Myself?” Fans chanted, “F— you, Rollins!” McAfee speculated they were chanting “Like you, Rollins” and “Duck you, Rollins!” Seth said they were just singing his song and now they boo him. He said he’s the only person capable of carrying the industry forward with championships and wielding power.

Seth said he has found an object that can help him control the championships. He looked up at the briefcase hanging above the ring. He vowed to win and said nobody can stop him. “That is total domination, that is total power,” he said. He went into saying he is a revolutionary. His music then played and he left the ring.

-They cut to Cole and McAfee at ringside. They reacted to that opening segment and then previewed upcoming matches.

-Penta made his ring entrance for the opening match. They didn’t have a big stage set-up, but rather came out a side tunnel like back in the earliest days of Raw. The venue is smaller than the usual NBA/NHL arenas, plus the sold almost every available seat rather than block off a big section.

-They showed El Hijo del Vikingo at ringside as they hyped his match against Chad Gable at Worlds Collide.

(1) PENTA vs. CHAD GABLE vs. DRAGON LEE – Money in the Bank Qualifier

The bell rang 26 minutes into the hour. Everyone took turns going at each other in the early minutes with flying moves and suplexes. Penta lifted both Dragon Lee and then Gable and leaped and drove both into the mat. Gable landed face-first in an awkward and scary landing. He immediately grabbed at his face and rolled to ringside. Penta leaped onto both Gable and Lee at ringside who were waiting to catch him. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]

When Gable slammed Penta on the announce table, Vikingo stood at ringside and eyed Gable who took a few steps toward him. Lee leaped out of the ring and speared Penta over the announce desk. McAfee yelled, “Holy shit!” Fans then chanted the same. Gable then punched away at Vikingo at ringside. Gable threw Penta into the ring. They slapped each other in the chest. Lee landed a leaping sitout powerbomb on Gable for a two count. Gable interrupted a suplex by Penta on Lee and suplexed both of them. He lowered his straps and celebrated.

Gable moonsaulted off the top rope onto Penta for a two count at 10:00. Gable overhead-tossed a leaping Lee into the corner where he landed head-first. Vikingo leaped onto the ring apron and kicked Gable. Cole explained that there are no rules in triple threat matches. Penta caught Lee with a Mexican Destroyer and then gave Gable a Penta Driver for the win. Gable was bleeding from above his left eye. McAfee said it was due to the kick from Vikingo.

WINNER: Penta in 11:00 to quality for MITB.

-Cole noted Solo Sikoa and L.A. Knight were also in the MITB match so far.

-They cut back to The Judgment Day. Dominik Mysterio and Carlito were playing a WWE video game while Balor and McDonagh were chatting. Roxanne Perez walked up to Dom with a tray of chicken nuggets and then checked on his shoulder, saying it looked tight. Liv Morgan walked in and looked jealous. Dom stammered and said, “Oh, you’re back.” Liv said Raquel Rodriguez has been keeping her up to date and she had a lot to say, but not before she goes to G.M. Adam Pearce to a qualifying match for Money in the Bank. Dom told Balor in a smarmy way, “Isn’t it great to have Liv back?” Balor laughed, but at Dom’s expense. Carlito told Dom, “You gotta stop trying to eat her nuggets, bro.”

-They showed Tozawa getting a pep talk from Natalya and Maxxinne Dupri backstage. Then they showed Rusev.

-They went to Cole and McAfee at ringside. Cole went into serious mode as he noted it was Memorial Day in the United States and then talked about the sacrifices of members of the military. He threw to a video package narrated by Cody Rhodes.

(2) RUSEV vs. TOZAWA (w/Maxxinne Dupri)

The bell rang 45 minutes into the hour. Rusev thwarted an early attack by Tozawa and then stomped on him and applied the Accolade. Tozawa tapped.

WINNER: Rusev in under 1:00.

-Rusev applied a sleeper afterward. Sheamus ran out for the save. Rusev released Tozawa and shot Sheamus a stern look. “This could get good,” said Cole. McAfee said it could get ugly. Sheamus entered and stared down Rusev. Rusev ultimately backed away and left the ring after a few seconds, but kept staring at Sheamus the whole time.

-Cathy Kelley interviewed two comedians Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura backstage. Kelley asked about Segura saying bad things about WWE in the past. He said he had Cody on their podcast and he opened his eyes. Kreischer plugged his special and then ran away. As Segura plugged his show, he heard Kreischer yelling. He was shirtless and getting hyped with The War Raiders. He chanted, “War! War! War!” Segura said the Raiders were gone and noted how red his chest was from their slaps. He said maybe he should see a medic.

(Keller’s Analysis: I can’t even begin to describe Segura’s “Bad Thoughts” sketch comedy show on Netflix.)

-New Day made their entrance. [c]

-Cole plugged Summerslam ticket sales.

-Sami was lamenting not interrupting Heyman and his cohorts talking. He said he couldn’t stand them talking. Jey Uso said they have to pick their battles. He said he needs to focus on qualifying for the MITB match. He said he would have his back. They slapped hands.

(3) THE NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. THE WAR RAIDERS (Erik & Ivar) vs. JULIUS & BRUTUS CREED – WWE Tag Team Title match

The War Raiders cleared the ring of both teams before the bell. The ref yelled at them. Erik threw Ivar off the ring apron onto both teams below. The ref called for the bell 57 minutes into the hour once Erik, Kofi, and Brutus were in the ring. The Creeds and New Day worked together to beat up the Raiders at ringside. Then they stood together in the ring and raised their arms as they cut to an early break. [c]

[HOUR TWO]

New Day were in control of Erik after the break as the Creeds watched. Xavier strutted after a leaping double-stomp to the back of Erik who was leaning over the rope. Ivar got tagged in and rallied. He backdropped a charging Kofi over the top rope onto a crowd at ringside, then played to the crowd. He climbed to the top rope. Kofi kicked him off balance.

Brutus superplexed Erik a minute later. Xavier landed a top rope elbow onto Erik right afterward. Ivar then landed a top rope frog splash. The Creeds and Kofi broke up the cover. Ivar gave the Creeds a handspring back elbow then then a spin wheel kick to Xavier. Erik and Ivar set up their double-team finisher on Xavier. Brutus broke it up and then springboard-cannonballed Erik at ringside. Kofi leaped through the ropes, but Ivar caught him and then splashed him against the LED ring apron. They did a special effect where the screen got glitchy. Julius charged at Ivar as he climbed the ropes. Xavier then rolled up Julius and yanked on his tights for the leverage three count.

WINNERS: The New Day in 9:00 to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles.

-Backstage, Liv and Raquel crossed paths with Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane. Liv made fun of Kairi for coming up short in her MITB qualifier. Sky told Liv to move on. Liv said she was heading to Adam Pearce’s office to get a MITB qualifier. Kairi poked Liv in the forehead and challenged her to a singles match later. Liv accepted.

-Jey Uso made his ring entrance from the concourse. [c]

-Cole hyped the upcoming weekend of events July 12-13 in Atlanta.

-Jey began talking about what a busy week he was having. He said both Cena and Logan were “yeeted.” Then Gunther’s music interrupted.

Gunther entered the ring and congratulated on his successful title defense against Logan. He said Jey has lasted longer as champion than he expected. He said Jey is a loyal friend and had great qualities as a human being, but they aren’t helpful to remaining champion. Gunther said that unlike Jey, he is a natural champion. He said Jey’s days as champion are numbered.

Jey asked if he was done. He said he is done with everyone who wins that title turning their back on those who helped their climb to being successful. He said he fights for himself and the fans. Jey said he can judge him, but he’ll just make him tap out again. He let out a “Yeet!”

-McAfee plugged Cody’s new podcast which debuts this week. His wife Brandi is his first guest. A clip aired of the first episode.

-Liv made her entrance. [c]

-They showed Patrick Maroon, rapper Waka Flocka Flame, and WWE veteran Titus O’Neil in the crowd.

(4) LIV MORGAN (w/Raquel Rodriguez) vs. KAIRI SANE 

Cole noted that Liv is back from her movie shoot. They cut to a break after Liv yanked Kairi off the ring apron and powerbombed her at ringside.

In the end, Roxanne Perez shoved Kairi off the top rope. Raquel yelled at Roxanne. Cole asked what she was ticked off about. Meanwhile, Liv went for her Oblivion finisher, but Kairi blocked it and leveraged her shoulders down for a sudden three count. Morgan stared at Roxanne afterward, blaming her for the breakdown at the end. Cole didn’t understand how it was Roxanne’s fault.

WINNER: Kairi in 11:00.

-A promo vignette aired on Rhea Ripley who talked about her goal to win MITB. She warned TIffany Stratton and Iyo Sky to watch out for her because “no one is safe from Mami in the Bank.”

-Lyra Valkyria made her entrance… [c]

-Liv yelled backstage that Raquel should have known better. Balor smiled at the bickering.

-Valkyria entered the ring as Cole said she would defend the Intercontinental Title against Becky Lynch at Money in the Bank. Lyra said Becky talked herself into another title match whereas she’d prefer to face someone new. Lyra said people are talking about her because she beat her. Becky got tense as Lyra framed her as being selfish and holding others back. Becky said she graciously raised her hand when she won, so when she beats her at MITB, she has to look her in the eye and raise her hand.

-Karrion Kross confronted Sami and said he has to do things his way, but he said he’ll never win the title. Sami said he didn’t have time for his mind games.

-Cole hyped Worlds Collide and MITB tickets.

-Seth and Heyman made their entrance. [c]

(5) SETH ROLLINS vs. SAMI ZAYN vs. FINN BALOR – Money in the Bank Qualifier

(I’ll fill in more detailed later. I had some tech issues and lost some of the details.)

Deep into the match, Jey came to ringside to offset Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker. Dom came to ringside and slid a chair into the ring, but the slide was weak. As Balor reached for it, Seth stomped him into it and scored the pin.

WINNER: Rollins in 20:00.

-Afterward, Punk’s music played and he attacked Seth from behind as Seth was staring at the entrance stage.


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