WWE Smackdown 1/2/2026

WWE Smackdown 1/2/2026

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/wwe-smackdown-12262025.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/wwe-smackdown-182026.html 

Note - SD is now 3 hours for the foreseeable future.

We are in Buffalo, NY. Corey Graves and Michael Cole are on commentary.

We see various wrestlers arrive. We see the ambulance for the ambulance match tonight. 

The Miz interrupts the commentators. He says we aren't moving onto 2026 until he airs his grievances of 2025. He said he should have tapped Cena out yet he's riding in the sunset and Miz says he's the one stuck here. Miz says he offered his guidance to up and coming stars but it was met with ungratefulness and entitlement. He says respect is not requested, it's expected. He then talks about Joe Hendry and says he brought back the tiny balls nickname. He says this won't become a thing again. He says Cena is gone and there is a new face of WWE. He says he wins titles unlike this city. 

He says he's the face of WWE and the locker room leader. He says he's the adult in the room filled with spoiled brats. Randy Orton comes out after being away for a while. Orton takes his time to get on the mic.

Miz says it's good to have Orton back. Miz says they are the gatekeepers and the faces of WWE. He says they could be Miz-KO. Orton then RKO's him for no real reason. He then tells him happy new year and RKO's him again.

Nia Jax and Lash Legend talk to The Kabuki Warriors. Nia says teaming up with them is difficult. Lash says it'll be worth it when they help them to a victory. Nia then says they can owe them a tag title shot. Asuka laughs and says they are happy to owe them a beating. Asuka says they will keep the title and beat them anytime. Sane says they should "ready for Kabuki Warriors". 

Randy Orton talks to Cody Rhodes in the back. Orton says now that he's back, he's coming for the title after Cody beats Drew. Nick Aldis comes in. He says Drew will let him know the 3 stages of hell tonight. Nick says Drew ill try to get under Cody's skin. He tells him if he touches him, he will forfeit the title and he doesn't want to see it happen. Cody says it won't happen.

Nia Jax, Lash Legend, Asuka and Kairi Sane vs Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss

The faces all get hit before the bell. Asuka snapmares Rhea and hits kicks to the back. Asuka hits Kawada kicks. Rhea upkicks her form the mat. Bliss cannonballs the Kabuki Warriors off the apron. We go to break and return.

Bliss pulls Lash over the top rope and diving tornado ddt's Nia. Flair top rope double crossbodies Lash and Nia. Flair hits chops on Nia and Lash. Flair forward handspring lariats Lash. She hits natural selection on Nia. Flair top rope moonsaults Nia for 2.

Flair kicks the heels from the apron. Nia blocks a roll up and legdrops Flair. Flair rolls up Asuka for 2. Flair figure 8's Asuka and Sane breaks it up with a top rope elbow drop. Iyo comes in and bodyscissors rolls Asuka into a double stomp. Iyo top rope double dropkicks The Kabuki Warriors. Asuka chest kicks Iyo down. Iyo springboards into a Lash pump kick for 2. We go to break and return. 

Asuka hits forearms on Iyo. She codebreakers her and Sane headhunters Iyo off of it. Iyo flapjacks Asuka. Rhea comes in and beats up The Warriors. She hits short arm lariats on Sane then drops her chest first on the mat. Rhea sliding kicks Sane. Nia lariats Rhea. Flair facekicks Nia. Asuka high kicks Flair. Bliss sister aibgail's Asuka. Rhea dropkicks Lash. Rhea catches Sane off the top, headbutts her and riptide her. Iyo top rope moonsaults Sane and pins her.

Thoughts: It got torn apart by breaks so who knows what we missed here. I liked what we got of it. We didn't see much of Bliss in this.

Nick Aldis talks to Jordynne Grace about 2026 plans for Smackdown. Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre come in. Nick introduces her to Grace. Green says she knows who she is, tells her hello and goodbye. Green says she is unwell and can't go out there. She says has a resolution to the be the greatest Women's US champ. Nick says she should be a fighting champ and suggests stripping her of the US Title. She gets mad and leaves.

Kit says he's redefining masculinity. He says the Buffalo Bills and their fans are toxic. Zack Ryder/Matt Cardona then comes out.

Kit Wilson vs Matt Cardona

Kit has a new theme with a female singer and kisses being blown. His opponent is a mystery opponent. 

Kit flying back elbows him and hits boots in the corner. Kit dropkicks him. We are told Matt is officially part of SD now. Kit gyrates. Matt lariats him and bangs his head off the buckles. Matt boots him in the corner. Matt flapjacks him then lariats him over the top. Matt dropkicks Kit through the ropes. 

Matt hits mounted corner punches. Kit slips out and sweeps him on the ropes. Kit hits elbow drops. Kit hits punches to the face. Kit says he's toxic. Matt 2nd rope dropkicks him. Matt facebusters Kit. Matt hits forearms in the corner. Matt hits a broski boot then a tiger driver for 2. Kit hits a ddt for 2. 

Matt gets his knees up on Kit's back splash. Matt hits a radio silence and wins.

Thoughts: Matt has gotten around like no one else. He had his usual match and it took him longer to win than I thought. I thought it was average at best. I'm not sure why they are calling him Matt over Zack.

Damian Priest is interviewed. He says enough is enough with Black and says it ends tonight. He says Black tried to change and break him tonight. He says Black is not his creator. He says all he did was wake something up inside of him. He says he will whoop his @ss all over the arena and send him to the ER. He says he's the one that will fade to black.

We get a Wyatt Sicks video. Howdy asks Solo Sikoa what the meaning of family is. He says Solo's been looking for it since he was exiled from his true bloodline. He says Solo hasn't thought about the force he is up against. He says he mocks what he doesn't understand. He says the family isn't made up of just them, it's filled with millions of fireflies around the world. He says it's time to cut down their family tree at the roots. He says when the dust settles, they will be the one's. 

Sami Zayn comes out. Sami says he hasn't been around lately. He says he got to sit and enjoy the show like a fan with his son. He says his son asks why Cena was called the "Never Seen 17". He says it's because Cena won the world title 17 times. He says his son asked how many times he has won it and he said zero. He says his son asked him why and he had no answer for him. 

He says this doesn't make sense to his son and says his kid doesn't understand why the world title is missing. Sami said it made him sick to talk about the world title last year and says now he's here to do it. He says he's coming for the WWE Title. 

Trick Williams comes out. True gets big pops with the crowd chanting "whoop that Trick". Trick says he's the sexiest and most entertaining superstar alive. He says Sami can call him "Trick Willy". He says he is what happens when you get Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson and Michael Jackson at the same time. He says Aldis took him he needs him on SD. Trick says he's here to be world champ. Trick says he's not the guy that can "almost" get the job done like him.

Sami says Trick isn't wrong and has all the tools. He says Trick has yet to be humbled. He asks if he's the first guy to look good and be good. He says he's not the first or the last guy to look their nose down on him. He says he has no problem teaching him a lesson and teaching him what it means to be humble. Sami then leaves.

Ilja Dragunov talks to Carmelo Hayes in the back. He says he wanted to fight the best last week and says Melo gave them to him. He says the outcome isn't what he expected or wanted but says there's worse things in life than losing to him. Ilja says it's not their last time. He asks if Melo is going to keep the open challenge and Melo says he will after tonight. Melo then says he would run it back wit hhim.

Melo goes up to The Miz. Melo says the title win wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for him and thanks him. Miz is happy. Melo thanks him for leaving him alone as he has been better ever since.

Trick Williams comes up to Nick Aldis while he talks to Rey Fenix. Rey says Trick has a lot to learn about wrestling as he complains. Trick says he should learn to mind his own business. Nick says maybe Sami is wright and says Trick will make his SD debut next weke vs Rey Fenix.

WWE United States Title - Carmelo Hayes (c) vs Johnny Gargano

Melo hits shots on JG and sends him out. Melo dropkicks him. Melo legdrops him. JG rolls into a kick on him. Melo pumping knees him. Melo gets distracted and JG slingshot spears him. JG slingshot plancha's him. We go to break and return.

Melo hits slaps and forearms on him then springboard corkscrews at him. Melo hits a la mistica drop for 2. Melo springboard blind legdrops him. Melo tope con hilos him outside. Melo top rope frogsplashes him for 2. Melo lariats him down.

Melo is up top and gets chopped by JG. JG 2nd rope twisting suplexes him. We go to break and return. Melo pump kicks him and JG spinning lariats him. Melo springboards into a superkick. Melo suplex lifts him into a cutter for 2.  They enzugiri each other. Melo cutters him over the top rope. Melo slingshot drops him face first on the mat. JG spinning ddt's him for 2. JG topes him outside. JG slingshots and eats a pumping knee. Candice LaRae distracts Melo. JG hits a 2nd rope air raid crash for 2. JG is hit with a jumping codebreaker. Melo top rope diving legdrops him on the back of the neck and wins.

Thoughts: It was cut up by 2 breaks. What we did see suggested that this was an indyfest with lots of big moves and little selling. I'm not surprised and it went as I expected. I didn't like this. Melo naturally won here.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Tama Tonga talk in the back. SN talks in Japanese then Tama replies in Japanese. Solo Sikoa then asks Tama if all is okay and Tama says it was an old chapter. Tama asks what the plan for The Wyatt Sicks is. Solo says it'll be a 4v4 match next week. Solo says they will beat them and take back the tag titles. Solo says the men are waiting and let's get the hell out of Buffalo.

Aleister Black and Zelina Vega talk. Black says this victory over Priest is spiritual. He says it doesn't matter who wins as nothing will change. He says Priest is the only thing who has changed. He says Priest will never be the same again. Vega says they will put the final nail in the coffin of Priest.

Jade Cargill is interviewed. It's brought up that Michin has a shoulder injury. Jade is asked if it was intentional and she says it was. She says Michin messed around and found out and says it happens when pigeon's don't know their place. Jordynne Grace goes up to her. She says she has to decide if she's coming to SD and says she needs to take a good look at her options. Jade says this is her show and she's that b!tch. Grace says she's Jordynne Grace and Jade is one of those.

Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes talk. Sami hasn't seen Drew. Cody says he heard what Sami said and says everyone is being honest tonight. Sami says he likes him and respects him. He says he was with him when he won the title at Mania. He says Cody must understand where he is coming from. Nick Aldis interrupts. Cody asks if Nick has seen Drew then says he needs to handle this and is heading to the ring.

We get an Oba Femi video.

Cody Rhodes comes out to talk. Cody asks how one gets the biggest tile in wrestling. He says what separates him is simple - it's his mentality when approaching anyone in a WWE ring. Cody says he wants his opponents to see him seeing them. He says other wrestlers see the money, the jets and the title and then feel envy. He says Drew reeks of envy. Cody says he's grateful and thankful for it. He says he cannot wait for the fight. 

Cody says when he sits back and smiles, he plays dumb. He says when he looks at his peers, nobody asks him what he sees. He sees lunch when he sees Drew. Cody says he's the one who calls himself the champ. He says that won't change in Berline.

Drew interrupts from the parking lot outside near Cody's bus. He says Cody is old school, vanilla and predictable. He says he came up with a match to get Cody. He says his dad used to fight in 2/3 falls matches so he came up with 3 stages of hell. He says Stage 1 in their match will be a normal match. He says Stage 2 will have falls count anywhere rules. He says Stage 3 will be inside of an old school steel cage with no interference or BS. He says he broke him mentally and will break him physically, if he's still champ. He says if Cody touches him, he is stripped of the title. Drew says we will have a lesson in self-control. He says he let himself in to The Cody Express. He says he used the bathroom, put his feet up and checked out Cody's items.

He says one item stood out and it's a photo of Cody and Dusty Rhodes. He says he wishes Dusty was here to see the man that Cody has become. He says he knows Dusty is looking up and is ashamed. He says people think it'll be a cold day in hell before Drew becomes champ again. He says he hopes Dusty has a coat down there as it'll be chilly. Drew smashes and stomps the photo. Cody runs to the back to find Drew. Security and officials stop Cody. 

Drew then appears in the ring with a trash can. Drew tells Cody to head back to the ring as he's waiting for him. Security stops Cody as he runs down. Drew says happy new year to Cody then burns the photo in the trash can. Drew then dares Cody to hit him.

WWE Women's United States Title - Chelsea Green (c) vs Giulia

G = Giulia

G running dropkicks her to start and boots her in the corner. G hair throws Green around then running boots her. Alba Fyre distracts G. Green topes G. We go to PiP break and return.

We go to break and return. Green rams G in the corner while she's on her back. G then mounts her back again with a sleeper. They trade shots. Green running lariats her. Green spinning enzugiri's her then meteora's her from behind against the ropes. Green slaps her and bangs her face against the mat for 2.

G headbutts Green then Green leg lariats her. The ref is too busy dealing with Kiana James to count. Alba Fyre sweeps James from the apron. G backdrops Green. Green rolls up G for 2. Green superkicks her out of the corner. Green is stopped up top and G top rope butterfly suplexes her. G holds on and northern lights bombs her. G then wins.

Thoughts: This was short and not that good. Green was really sloppy here. This will be WWE's 2nd attempt to get Giulia over the on the main roster and she better figure it out because I don't think #3 is coming. I can't say I'm excited about this result as Green is way more interesting. This was also a heel vs heel match match with Green being more popular which made things weird.

Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are interviewed. Rhea says they've been waiting a long time to get The Kabuki Warriors. Rhea says the titles will come back home to them. Iyo says they will be champs together. Flair and Bliss come in. Rhea talks for them and says they want to be tag champs again. Bliss says they know The Warriors can be sneaky and says good luck. Rhea doesn't buy it. Flair says they are next in line.

We get a video on Priest vs Black.

Fraxiom talk to LeRae and Gargano. NF says the wrestling isn't going well without Ciampa. Axiom says it's a new year and Gargano should grow up and move on. He says he wants his mask back. Gargano says the mask is a gift from his wife and tells Axiom to take it from her. They argue. Axiom says he will ask for a match with Aldis and says he will beat him and take the mask back.

Ambulance Match - Damian Priest vs Aleister Black

DP poses on the ropes and is hit from behind. DP hits punches in the corner on AB. AB is thrown out. AB kicks him in the face. They fight in the aisle. DP's head is banged off the ambulance.

DP pulls the stretcher out of the ambulance and rams AB in the gut with it. DP drops him face first on the stretcher. We go to PiP break and return. They are back in the ring. They trade chest kicks. DP rebound lariats him. DP flying back elbows him in the corner.

DP pounces AB on the commentary table. AB chairs DP in the back. AB has DP's face on a chair and kicks the chair away. DP choke slams him on the apron. AB is up top and DP kicks him. DP top rope hurricanrana's him. AB spinning high kicks him in the face. We go to PiP break and return.

DP is on the stretcher and takes an elbow to the face. DP kicks him from the stretcher. AB hits him with the stretcher board. AB then rams the board into DP's throat using the stretcher board. Vega opens the ambulance door. Rhea Ripley appears. Vega begs off and runs. Rhea chases her to the ring. Rhea hits a riptide on her.

DP hits shots to the gut and is kicked. DP is in the ambulance. B shuts one door and DP blocks the other door from being shut. DP hits AB with a crutch and rams it into his chest and gut. DP is pushed into the ambulance door. AB pumping knees him in the ambulance. DP sprays him with a fire extinguisher from the ambulance. DP then fireballs him in the face. 

DP closes the ambulance doors and the crowd chants, "run him over". DP pulls out some super wide table. AB bangs DP's head off a side door on the ambulance. He then kicks him into it. AB is thrown into the ambulance side. DP is thrown into the rails. DP is facekicked over the rail into the crowd. AB high kicks him. 

AB takes a razor's edge on the windshield of the ambulance. They go on top of the ambulance. AB is pushed off the ambulance through the super wide table. DP throws him in the ambulance, shuts the doors and wins.

Thoughts: It was a good match with a lot of ambulance spots here. They had 3 big high spots here with Black being chokeslammed off the ambulance through a superwide table, Black taking a fireball and getting a razor's edge into a windshield. They did as much as they could without bleeding. I hope it's the end of the feud. It dragged on too long and didn't really help either guy that much.

Overall thoughts: It was a longer show and they loaded it up a bit more than usual with a big main, a title change, a bunch of the women on the show and Matt Cardona. I was surprised Joe Hendry didn't appear here at all. They did a good job overall but they are asking a lot with these three hour shows. I'm definitely concerned for what things will look like on lesser weeks as the star power just isn't here right now. I'd give this show a 6 out of 10 and that's mostly for the main and the Drew/Sami angle being okay. I wouldn't recommend this one though.