Raw Deal - Raw recap for May 17, 2021

Backstage, Bobby Lashley is surrounded by five women on the way to the ring. Meanwhile, MVP is already in the ring, and he introduces Lashley, who shows up with his entourage. MVP says that what Lashley did last night was Herculean, as he beat two of the absolute toughest, strongest and meanest competitors on Raw, and says that Braun Strowman is now nursing broken ribs and McIntyre is unable to get out of bed while Lashley retained while injured. MVP says that Lashley hurt his knuckles while smashing his fist into Strowman and McIntyre and had to go through excruciating pain to retain the WWE Championship. When asked when his era will end, Lashley says it will never end. MVP says tonight should be a night of celebration, but Lashley insists he does not want to take the night off, and MVP issues an open challenge to anybody who wants to step up and face Lashley. Suddenly, Drew McIntyre shows up. McIntyre says that Lashley being a fighting champion is a great idea, and says he wants a shot at the WWE Championship tonight. MVP says that McIntyre did not let him finish, and says that McIntyre and Strowman are both excluded. Lashley and McIntyre soon brawl, and the women who have escorted Lashley to the ring scream before McIntyre stands tall in the ring and MVP holds Lashley back.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles beats Elias by disqualification when Jaxson Ryker pulls Styles off the ring apron. After the match, Omos chases Ryker up the ramp, and when Elias attacks Styles again, Omos turns around and scares Elias away.

Backstage, Matt Riddle is met by The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods), followed by Randy Orton, who wants to know what is going on. Riddle admits that he has stretched the truth and wants to make a party of two into a party of four. Riddle wants Orton to apologize to The New Day, but Orton refuses, saying he is not sorry. Kofi says he and Woods would not have accepted his apology, anyway, and this leads to Kofi challenging Orton to a match later tonight after Orton takes offense to .

It's time for Alexa's Playground. Tonight's guests are Natalya and Tamina. Natalya seems happy to be there, but Tamina is spooked. When Alexa asks what their favorite colors, Natalya says pink, but Tamina says "black and blue." Tamina says that will also be Alexa if she tries anything weird, to which Alexa responds "That's not very nice." Alexa then shows appreciation for Tamina attacking Reginald, saying she will swat him like a fly if he tries anything again. After this, Tamina and Natalya leave after Alexa turns her head.

Angel Garza beats Drew Gulak. After the match, Garza takes his rose and shoves it into Gulak's mouth.

Backstage, R-Truth is interviewed by Kevin Partrick while Akira Tozawa stalks him from the stairs in the background. He finds out that there is an open challenge for the WWE Championship, not his title, then Akira Tozawa pins him for the WWE 24/7 Championship.

Kofi Kingston beats Randy Orton with a schoolkid pin after Xavier Woods distracts Orton with his trombone. After the match, Riddle shoves Woods when Woods tries to keep him from leaving with Orton.

Backstage, Lana, Naomi, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke meet with WWE officials Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce over who is next in line over the Women's Tag Team Championships when Charlotte Flair shows up and says they have blown all their chances. After a snide remark from Dana Brooke says that Charlotte blew hers last week, Sonya says she and Adam Pearce will discuss this, then they meet with Charlotte, who wants a one-on-one championship with Rhea Ripley, as she was not pinned last night. Sonya tells Charlotte that if she can beat Asuka, she and Pearce will consider her request. Rhea Ripley says she thinks it might be, then says she is ready for some new competition, as Charlotte is nothing but yesterday's news. Charlotte says she will beat Asuka and that she will soon become Raw Women's Champion when history repeats itself like it has thirteen times. Charlotte leaves, then Rhea says she will be watching the match from ringside.

Natalya and Tamina retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Nia Jax and "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler after Alexa Bliss shows up and fire comes out of the ring posts, blinding Reginald and sending him falling off the ring steps. After the match, Lilly's laughter is heard repeatedly.

Before the next match, Sheamus gets angry at Ricochet for wearing his hat and coat and tells him to get in the ring before he finds him and makes him a stain on the bottom of his boot. Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviews Ricochet, who says he was just having fun last night and that the real fun is shutting him up forever. On the accusations of taking Sheamus' hat and coat, he puts them both on. Ricochet says he wanted to see the look on Sheamus' face again, then says he just wants to do a little dance like Ernest "The Cat" Miller before mocking Sheamus' Irish accent, saying that when he is done tonight he will have himself a pint. When Ricochet heads to the ring, Sheamus goes after him only to fall victim to a drop toe hold on the stage, then Ricochet gets in the ring and mocks Sheamus again.

Sheamus beats Ricochet. After the match, Sheamus brags about his win, then says his shoulder feels a little bit empty and says that he might accept Bobby Lashley's open challenge.

We hear from Mace and T-Bar. They say that tonight, Bobby Lashley's championship reign has an expiration date and that now is the time to strike, for everything is built to end. They then say that the choice of who goes for it is as simple as a coin toss. After this, they proclaim that Lashley's WWE Championship reign is all gone.

Asuka beats Charlotte Flair. During the match, Rhea Ripley shows up to get a closer look at the match as promised. Later in the match, Charlotte gets in Rhea Ripley's face, and when Rhea Ripley gets on the apron, she gets knocked off when Asuka sends Charlotte into her. Charlotte Flair soon goes for a Figure Four Leg Lock, but Asuka counters it into an inside cradle for the win.

Backstage, Kevin Patrick interviews John Morrison, who says that thinking about last night makes him feel dead inside and that The Miz may never be the same again, then dedicates his match tonight to The Miz's memory.

Damian Priest beats John Morrison in a lumberjack match (which has the Raw locker room this time). After the match, Sarah Schreiber interviews Damian Priest, who says it is time to move on from The Miz and John Morrison before saying that his next moment might be becoming WWE Champion.

We see another vignette for Eva Marie, who says it take a team of people to create the picture that others see, and now that she is a star, she wants to show others the way and be someone little girls want to be.

Backstage, Kevin Patrick interviews Shelton Benjamin, then Cedric Alexander shows up and claps for Shelton for having the guts to step up to Bobby Lashley before telling him that people abandon him because he is worthless. Shelton responds by punching Cedric in the face and knocking him into a road crate.

Kofi Kingston accepts Bobby Lashley's open challenge for the WWE Championship as MVP asks who will step up to Lashley. Before the match begins, however, MVP says that he and Lashley never said anything about this match being for the WWE Championship, and since Adam Pearce is not making this a championship match, he wishes Kofi good luck on his endeavor.

Kofi Kingston beats Bobby Lashley. During the match, Xavier Woods gets ejected from ringside, and as this happens, Drew McIntyre shows up and hits Lashley with MVP's cane, allowing Kofi to win with a schoolkid pin.

Raw Talk: The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) revel in Kofi Kingston's victory.

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!