WWE SmackDown takeaways: Gunther No. 1 contender, Cody Rhodes attacks

WWE Raw on May 15, 2026, took place at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S. C. , and featured a No.

1 contender match between Gunther and Royce Keys. The first Friday show following Backlash saw some fallout from the PLE in what was largely a very forgettable episode. We saw the men’s United States champ and the women’s tag champs in action, but no titles were on the line.

Brie Bella and Paige defeated Giulia and Kiana James in what should have been a title match, even if unwarranted to help add some importance to the in-ring action. Damian Priest picked up a win over Tama Tonga, Jade Cargill caused a disqualification in a tag match between Michin and B-Fab against Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, and Danhausen appears to be working on creating another clone – a much larger one. It felt like another filler Friday.

Nothing was bad, nothing great, but some things stood out among the rest. Here’s the top takeaways from this week’s show: Trick Williams’ homecoming Kicking off the show was the men’s United States champion, Trick Williams. Accompanied by Lil Yachty and Cocky the Gamecock, Williams celebrated his return to South Carolina, shouting out his alma mater and reminiscing about his days growing up in the state.