WWE Raw results, May 21, 2018: Braun Strowman and Finn Bálor collide in colossally competitive Raw main event

The Raw Commissioner takes issue with how General Manager Kurt Angle is handling Roman Reigns.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon has been conspicuous by her absence for almost two months, but she got right down to business during her unexpected return in Team Red's opening moments.

First, Stephanie seized control of Kurt Angle’s planned contract signing between Raw Women’s Champion Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey (a Superstar whom Stephanie claims to harbor no grudge against) under the pretense of providing “guidance” to the General Manager. She also had a few choice words for Roman Reigns, who crashed the confab and made it very clear that he still believes WWE management is trying to keep him away from the Universal Title.

However, an interrupting Kevin Owens inadvertently provided Stephanie with the opportunity to prove she wasn’t playing favorites: Even though the Commissioner maneuvered Owens into the qualifier Reigns had originally wanted last week, KO’s attempt to position himself as a corporate darling ended in disappointing fashion for the former Universal Champion when Stephanie placed him into an immediate match against Reigns.

Former Shield brothers unite against common foes in an impromptu tag team melee.

Spearing Jinder Mahal through a wall was among the coolest things Roman Reigns has ever done, and if Monday is any indication, The Big Dog will be paying the price for a long, long time. The Modern Day Maharaja both made his presence felt during Reigns’ match with Kevin Owens — where his interference earned Reigns a DQ win — and got the last word after a subsequent tag team match that was sanctioned after Seth Rollins came to his Shield brother’s side.

It was almost immaterial that Rollins & Reigns actually won the tag match — Rollins stomped Owens after a wild brawl and a flurry of attempts at his devastating signature move — because Mahal obliterated both of the victors atop the ramp with a steel chair with such ferocity they could barely make it to their feet after. Rollins took a tumble off the stage at The Maharaja’s hands, but the former WWE Champion saved a little something extra for Reigns, driving the steel into his rival’s gut before making a triumphant exit. The only question now is whether Mahal can withstand Reigns' inevitable retaliation. Luckily, a singles match between the two at Money in the Bank will provide the answer.

Before meeting in the Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match, The Shenom and The Goddess collide on Raw.

Alexa Bliss would like everyone to know that getting pinned by Ember Moon the night after WrestleMania was a total and complete fluke. Duly noted. But she was notably short on excuses when The War Goddess downed the former Raw Women’s Champion a second time, despite a pre-match promise to prove herself as the better woman.

Bliss, to her credit, came to play, targeting Moon’s shoulder to prevent the Eclipse and teeing The Shenom up for interference by Mickie James at ringside. But the latter half of that strategy backfired when James got herself ejected from the match, leaving Five Feet of Fury wide open to a picture-perfect Eclipse that hit its mark. With two losses to Moon, Bliss can still claim it’s a coincidence, but if she’s not careful, a pattern may well start to emerge.

The Lone Wolf continues his cruel quest to spoil No Way Jose's party.

Baron Corbin losing out on a Money in the Bank return may well end up being the worst thing that happened to No Way Jose: With Bobby Roode nowhere to be found, The Lone Wolf instead set his sights on the third Superstar from last week’s ill-fated qualifier, taking out his frustration in excessive fashion on The Dominican Dancing Machine. It didn’t help that Jose continues prioritize having fun, which brought out Corbin’s inner killjoy on top of everything else.

Jose did not go quietly, building nicely on the aggression he displayed last week with a strong opening flurry and an impressive rally down the stretch after Corbin had done some damage. But Corbin would not be denied, thwarting Jose’s wind-up punch and earning the win with a one-two combo of the Deep Six and End of Days.

Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel try to keep their momentum going against the unorthodox tandem of Tyler Breeze & Fandango.

Last week, Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas rebranded themselves as The B-Team and claimed their first-ever tag team win. This week, they proved the victory over Breezango was no fluke by defeating WWE’s resident Fashion Police and Royal Wedding tweeters in a rematch, catching a gyrating Fandango with the neckbreaker-backdrop hybrid. The B-Team celebrated in epic fashion, too, taking a victory lap that culminated in a shared slide down the ramp in a single chair. Dallas & Axel may not like what they get if their desired Raw Tag Team Title Match against “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt becomes a reality, but for now, this Cinderella story officially has some legs.

Chad Gable puts his amateur background to the test against Dolph Ziggler.

Chad Gable has all the heart in the world, but his courage undoubtedly got the better of him when he ran afoul of Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre and found himself mired in a match with The Showoff that came down to some veteran know-how that the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion simply has yet to acquire. 

Despite an intense, impressive effort by Gable, Ziggler — who found himself in a closer match than he would have liked — ducked under the ropes to stop the action and caught Gable with a superkick just seconds later for the win. McIntyre provided the exclamation point with a post-match Claymore that left Gable down; Gable may not be among the complacent Superstars Ziggler & McIntyre are looking to expose, but his experience will have to catch up to his heart before he can put a dent in the dominant team’s armor.

The Glorious One attempts to silence Team Red's sinister troubadour.

Whether you believe Elias' boast that he is singlehandedly boosting WWE's stock likely depends on how much you’re willing to walk with him. But the resident guitarist of Monday Night Raw has become an undisputable force to be reckoned with inside the confines of the ring. This week, he outlasted Bobby Roode in the latest installment of their ongoing rivalry, a win that was made doubly impressive because he snatched it from the jaws of defeat. Despite a pre-match attack by Elias, Roode rallied to the cusp of a Glorious DDT, but Elias rallied to trip Roode up on the turnbuckle and dispatch him with Drift Away. Unfortunately, his curtain call was denied by none other than Braun Strowman, who trucked Elias atop the stage as he made his entrance for Raw’s main event.