WWE Smackdown 1/8/2026

WWE Smackdown 1/8/2026

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/wwe-smackdown-122026.html

We are in Berlin, Germany. Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore are on commentary.

We see multiple wrestlers arrive in snowy weather. 

Randy Orton comes out. He says it's good to be back in the ring. Trick Williams interrupts before he says much more. Trick says a new star has arrived and it's Trick Williams. He says every country around the world loves them Trick Willy. He says it's not 2006, it's 2026 and let's talk about it. 

Orton says he's 6'5, 270 and says 14 is the only number that matters as that is the amount of titles he has won. He says he does see a star in him. He says Trick chose to interrupt him and says he doesn't know if he has the brains. Trick disagrees. He says he's the only one seizing the opportunity to brush up against the great one. He says he came to put him on his notice. He says it's not the year of the viper but the year of Trick Williams. He says we will whoop that all around the world.

Orton says he doesn't know what he was taught in NXT but someone should have told him never to turn his back on The Viper. He says if it happens again, he will kick his @ss. Trick knocks Orton's mic away. Orton drops him with a punch and euros him. Orton then does a bridging ddt.

The Miz then comes in and hits Orton from behind. Orton RKO's him. Orton poses and throws Trick's chain at him outside after.

Orton goes to walk out and Rey Fenix does his entrance. They pound fists and Orton says to kick Trick's @ss.

Rey Fenix vs Trick Williams

This is Trick's main roster debut. TW pushes him back on the lock-up. TW pulls him down by the mask. Rey flips out of a hiptoss and they each do pin attempts. Rey la magistral's him for 2. TW shoulders him over. 

TW chops him and sends him hard into the buckles. Rey does a double springboard dropkick. Rey eats a leg lariat for 2. TW tilt-a-whirl slams him them falcon arrows him for 2.  

Rey is sent into the steps. TW stomps Rey in the corner. TW spinning high kicks for 2. TW hits mounted punches. Rey cradles him for 2. Rey spin kicks him and superkicks him. They trade shots on their knees then get up and trade. Trick pop-up euros him for 2. Rey kicks him out of the corner. Rey step up enzugiri's him. Rey hurricanrana's him off the buckles for 2.

TW gets his feet up on Rey's top rope moonsault. TW corkscrew facekicks him. TW uranage's him for 2. TW misses a corner splash. Rey springboard spin kicks him. Rey does a tornado reverse ddt for 2. Rey hook kicks him then rope walk kicks him. Rey comes off the top and rolls him up. They each go for a pin, Trick holds the tights and pins him.

Thoughts: The stuff during the break wasn't that interesting. I don't recall Trick busting out the falcon arrow before. They didn't work too bad together and Rey is definitely a different type of wrestler than Trick has ever worked with. It wasn't that bad. Trick thankfully won in his main roster debut.

Giulia and Kiana James are interviewed. Giulia says the title is back where it belongs. Kiana says soon Giulia will dominate the entire division. Giulia puts over Alexa Bliss and says she will make an example of her. I couldn't tell you half of what Giulia said here. 

Damien Priest is interviewed. He says he's hurting. He says they both won some battles but he won the war. DP says he sees a lot of people calling their shots for title matches and he wants to join that party. He says that road might lead him to Cody Rhodes. Drew McIntyre walks in. DP says maybe Drew becomes champ tonight. He says if that happens, maybe they get to go another round. He says to remind the world how his brains got scrambled the last time they fought. Drew is asked what's on his mind. He says Cody's emotions are high. He says he only imagine the look on his face when he sees he's got the gold watch Dusty had to pawn when he blew the family fortune. Drew says Cody will be DQ'd in the first fall then he only needs one more fall to finally be champ.

Alexa Bliss talks to Charlotte Flair on the phone. She tells her to rest and recovery. Lash Legend and Nia Jax come in. They make fun of Flair being sick. Lash says Flair is nowhere to be found when Bliss gets her own opportunity. Nia mirrors that. Bliss says it sounds like something Nia would do and tells Lash to drop her before she brings her down.

WWE Women's United States Title - Giulia (c) vs Alexa Bliss

G = Giulia, AB = Alexa Bliss

G laughs at her and shoves her. AB shoves back. AB knees her in the gut and G suplexes her. G running back elbows her in the corner then 2nd rope dropkicks her for 2. G hair throws her. G is thrown out and AB cannonballs her off the apron outside. AB poses near the US Title. 

We go to break and return. Kiana trips AB on the apron. G bridging neckbreakers AB on the floor. Kiana then stands on AB's hair outside. G stands on AB's gut in the ring. G pulls on her nostrils then dropkicks her while she's tied in the ropes. G slams AB. We go to break and return. AB rolls her up for 2. G abuses her in the corner. Kiana then forearms AB over the bottom rope.

AB boots her out of the corner. AB hits forearms. G forearms her back. AB shoulders her over a couple of times then slaps her. AB basement dropkicks her. AB headhunters her for 2. AB double knee drops her and misses a rolling senton.

G knees her in the face. AB escapes the glorious driver. AB goes for sister abigail but just settles for a normal ddt. Kiana is on the apron and AB knocks her into the ref. AB is up top and Lash Legend pushes her off the top. G northern lights bombs AB and pins her.

Thoughts: There was a bunch of shenanigans here with Lash and Kiana interfering. What we got was acceptable but probably would have been better without the interference. Giulia just won the title last week so she wasn't losing here.

Lash Legend and Nia Jax talk trash to Bliss after. Lash forearms Bliss over. Nia banzai drops Bliss. 
 
Nick Aldis welcomes Jordynne Grace in the back and he has signed her to Smackdown. Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre come in. Green wants a rematch for her US Title. Nick tells Green that Grace is signed to SD. Green isn't interested. Grace says she won't be a diva like other girls on the roster. Alba yells at her and Nick says Alba has stepped up to be Alba's opponent tonight. Green then wants to talk about her title match and Nick says she can help Alba get ready for her match.

Kit Wilson comes in. He says he didn't know who his opponent was last week and mentions his injured nose. He says Matt Cardona is a good example of toxic masculinity. Nick then goes into his office and closes the door. Kit says he's toxic.

Matt Cardona is interviewed. He says it feels great to be back. He said when he left, he could have felt bitter, coasted off his name or reinvented himself to get back to WWE. He says he chose that. He then talks to Cody Rhodes. They talk. Matt says he's got the match tonight. Matt says he has come back for the title. Cody says they will talk when he's done with Drew.

They talk about past 3 Stages of Hell matches.

The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy and Erick Rowan)  vs The MFT's (Soli Sikoa, Talla Tonga, Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga)

Loa shoulders over Dex. Dex shoulders him over and dropkicks him. Loa takes an atomic drop into a lariat. Loa then takes a senton and elbow drop. Tama takes a superkick from Dex and a pump kick from Joe. Joe and Dex do stereo dives out. Both teams stand off outside.

Joe boots Loa off the ropes. Joe then is lariated by Talla from the apron. Loa boots Joe in the corner. Tama then joins in. Joe takes corner attacks, a lariat and an elbow drop. Joe is held in the corner for a Talla lariat. Talla drops him with a punch. Joe takes a back elbow then an elbow drop. 

Solo headbutts Joe. Joe hits punches. Joe is thrown hard into the corner. Solo hits punches on Joe while he's down in the corner. Solo corner hip attacks him. Tama double axe handles Joe. Joe hits punches. Joe handspring lariats Tama. Rowan tags in. He hits shots on all opponents and spinning high kicks Tama. Rowan hits corner attacks on Loa and Tama. Rowan dropkicks Loa. Rowan crossbodies Tama.

Talla comes in. He trades shots with Rowan. Talla headbutts him then Rowan lariats him. Talla running lariats Rowan. Talla chokeslams Dex. Rowan and Talla double clothesline each other down. 

Howdy and Solo go at it. They trade punches. Howdy hits shots on him and Loa. Howdy uranage's Solo. Howdy takes a shot from Solo. Howdy uranage's Tama. Howdy throws JC Mateo in and gives him the mandible claw. Solo grabs Howdy's lantern outside. Howdy is distracted and gets kicked by Talla. Tama hidden blade's Howdy and pins him.

Thoughts: It was a decent tag. It wasn't anyone's best work but it was fine. Solo grabbing Howdy's lantern means this isn't the end of this one. 

Solo walks out with Howdy's lantern after.

The Miz and Carmelo Hayes talk. Miz says he' got a WWE Title opportunity and will become a 3x grand slam champ soon. Miz asks if Melo saw Orton cheapshot him. Melo says there's always next week and pretends Orton is there. Miz falls for it. Melo says he will see him later.

Melo talks to Ilja Dragunov. Melo says he's doing an open challenge and says it would be an honor if he accepts it. Ilja says they will fight another time. Ilja says he will talk to Nick Aldis about something different.

We get an Oba Femi video.

Jordynne Grace vs Alba Fyre

JG hits forearms and chops on Alba. JG bangs Alba's head off the buckles. JG hits short arm lariats on her then does a tilt-a-whirl big ending on her. Alba ddt's JG for 2. Alba hits mounted punches.  JG goes up and over her. JG spinebusters her. JG hits a package sitout powerbomb. Chelsea Green gets on the apron and distracts JG. Alba is thrown into Green on the apron. JG spinning torture rack bombs Alba and wins.

Thoughts: It was a shorter bout with Alba getting thrown around. Alba's better than Grace but she's a bodybuilder and Triple H loves his female bodybuilders. At least Grace had an okay showing here. 

Jade Cargill comes out as Grace tries to exist. Jade stares her down and asks if she thinks she did something or is special. Jade says she's now on her show and she's that b!tch.

Sami Zayn is interviewed. Sami says he kind of wants Drew to win as he has never beaten him. He says beating him for the title sounds great. Sami says he picks Cody to win tonight. He says he's waiting for whoever wins.

Fraxmiom talk in the back. NF asks why Ax doesn't have his gear on as Melo is out there now. Ax then hits NF and drops him. Candice LeRae joins in. Johnny Gargano is under the mask. The real Axiom then runs in. 

WWE United States Title - Carmelo Hayes (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura

This is an open challenge. Gargano never tried to come out.

Melo side headlock takeovers him and is put in a headscissors. Melo armdrags him into an armlock. Melo standing dropkicks him out. Melo goes for a dive and gets kicked. Melo springboard twisting lariats him.

Melo boots him out of the corner and lariats him. Melo hits mounted corner punches. Melo legdrops him for 2. SN cradles him and they trade pin attempts. SN lariats him. SN knee drops him for 2. 

SN hits kicks in the corner and foots chokes him. SN chinlocks him. SN chest kicks him down. SN chops him in the corner. Melo is dragon screwed over the top rope. SN stomps on him outside. SN axe kicks him as he hangs over the top rope. SN does another dragon screw while he's on the ropes and dragon screws him into the mat. SN single leg crabs him.

SN knees Melo in the gut and hits chest kicks. Melo hits chops. Melo rolls over the back and superkicks him. Melo jumping ddt's him for 2. Melo 2nd rope diving ddt's him. SN dragon screws him. Melo slips out of a dragon screw and buzzsaw kicks him. 

SN knees him in the chest and kicks him down. Melo kicks him while he's down. Melo back elbows him. SN blocks a la mistica drop and drops him on his chest. Melo is in tree of woe. SN knees him. SN tries a baseball slide but goes knee first into the buckles. Melo 2nd rope dives him outside.

Melo misses a top rope splash inside. SN leglocks him. Melo rolls him up for 2. Melo take an AA but turns it into a stunner. SN flying kicks him. SN cradle shocks him for 2. 

Melo superkicks him. Melo springboard blind diving ddt's him. Melo is on the top rope. SN flying knees him then 2nd rope flying knees him. SN runs at him and is caught with a first 48. Melo hits a nothing but net off the top and pins SN.

Thoughts: I didn't like it that much. It was a longer and slower match. SN really worked the knee early on then forgot about it. Most of Melo's offense is flying so even though he did sell it, a working the knee match wasn't the best fit for this. I think if they cut this in half they could have probably had a better match. 

They shake hands after. 

Cody Rhodes is interviewed in the back. Cody tells Byron he's doing a good job. He says Drew has his father's watch and he saw what he did last week. He says when you want to talk about his father and legacy, it's cheap and lazy. He says Dusty doesn't make the comeback, he does. He says most guys don't find this out until they are looking at the lights. Cody says his eyes are on The Royal Rumble which means Wrestlemania.

Undisputed WWE Title - Three Stages of Hell Match - Cody Rhodes (c) vs Drew McIntyre

Stage 1 - Normal Match

Cody hits punches and boots on DM. Cody knees him in the gut then lariats him over the top. Cody topes him outside. DM's head is banged off the commentary table. DM grabs a chair and dares Cody to hit him since there are DQ's in this stage. They get in and Cody disaster kicks him. 

Cody hits punches and bionic elbows him. Cody punches DM outside. DM sends Cody into the steps. Cody walks up the buckles and cody cutters him for 2. Cody punches and boots him in the corner. Cody germans him. DM pulls the top buckle off. DM low blows him and claymores kicks him. Drew pins Cody and is up 1-0.

Stage 2 - Falls Count Anywhere Match

They go out and DM sets up a table. DM powerbombs Cody through a table for 2. Cody's head is banged off the steps. Cody suplexes DM on the floor for 2. DM is sent over the rails and Cody double axe handles him off the rails. They fight in the crowd and go up the steps. DM's head is banged off a rail. Cody takes a selfie biting DM. Cody hits DM with a drink. 

They go backstage. Cody's head is banged off a metal fence. DM is sent into a rollaway door. Cody shoves a banana in DM's mouth and punches him. DM eye rakes Cody and russian legsweeps him into the side of the seats. DM is sent into the side of the seats multiple times. DM is laid on a table. 

Cody climbs a fan seating entrance and jumps off of it, sending DM through a table. He gets a 2 count on it. They go back to ringside. DM hits Cody with a chair to the gut and back. Cody superkicks DM. They go on the commentary table. Cody cross rhodes him through the table and takes the brunt of it. DM is pinned. We are tied 1-1. 

Stage 3 - Steel Cage Match

They get in the ring and the cage starts to come down. DM is sent into the cage then Cody gets sent into it. DM tries to escape through the door. Cody suplexes him back in for 2. Cody tries an up and over but is kicked for 2. They fight on top of the cage and Drew superplexes him down for 2.

Cody hits punches and DM back elbows him for 2. DM hits punches on Cody. Cody drop down punches him. Cody misses a corner charge and DM hits a future shock ddt for 2. 

DM hits mounted punches and stomps Cody. Cody has blood on the back of his head. DM hits punches. Cody hits a cross rhodes in the ring for 2. They trade punches. Cody goes up and over then powerslams him for 2. Cody hits an os cutter for 2. Cody hits a cross rhodes then holds on for another. DM eye rakes him. Cody misses a corner splash and goes into the exposed buckle. DM claymore kicks him for 2. 

DM climbs the cage. Cody bites DM's leg. They fight on top of the cage. DM's head is banged off the cage. Cody diving cody cutters him from the cage for 2. Cody climbs the cage. DM climbs with him and they bang each other's heads off the cage. DM is crotched on the top rope then Cody falls and gets crotched as well.

DM goes to escape through the door. Someone in a hood pushes the ref and it's Jacob Fatu. DM tries to go over the top but Fatu stops him. Fatu stomps and headbutts him. Cody tries to stop Fatu. Fatu punches Cody and fights with him in the corner. DM then falls out of the cage and wins!

Thoughts: I was really surprised to see Drew win here. He lost so many times and I'm not sure why they didn't do this sooner if he was going to win at some point anyway. It got a lot of time. The selling wasn't good for most of this. They would do a big spot, quickly kick out of the pin and just move on. While Cody did bleed a little in the back of the head, it wasn't much. More blood would have added to this. Fatu returning was a surprise. It saved Cody a clean loss. I thought it was just okay only. The story just wasn't really there. The outcome almost assuredly means a rematch and this may end up being finished at Mania.

Overall thoughts: I saw the Netflix version of this so I saw the full show with almost no commercials. It was a longer show. You aren't missing anything by missing out on the commercials as the matches really slow down and they do little but the basics. Trick and Fenix worked better together than I expected in the opener and  I think Trick busted out a new move or two. It wasn't bad. Giulia/Bliss was filled with shenanigans which brought down an otherwise okay looking match. The Wyatt's and The MFT's had a decent tag match. Grace/Alba was a shorter and one-sided match. I didn't like Melo/Nakamura. The main got a ton of time. It could have used some real blood. I thought they rushed through some of the kick outs and didn't get as much out of the spots as they could. The ending was also a bit disappointing as we didn't get a clean winner. I thought the show was alright overall and would give it a 6 out of 10. This show probably was better with the various breaks though as you wouldn't have to see some of the wasted time during commercials.