WWE SmackDown Results
January 2, 2026
Buffalo, New York (KeyBank Center)
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with clips of Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre from last week.
We see Cody Rhodes, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Nia Jax, Lash Legend, the Kabuki Warriors, Damian Priest, Aleister Black and Zelina Black entering the arena.
Inside the arena, we cut to Michael Cole and Corey Graves. They welcome everyone to the show but we hear The Miz. He is at ringside and says that they are not moving on to 2026, he is sick of hearing happy new year. Miz gets in the ring and he says they are not moving on uintil he airs his problems of last year.
He says he asked for one match in John Cena’s retirement tour. He says he should have been the one to tap John Cena out, instead Cena is smiling, riding in the sunset and he is stuck in Buffalo. The second thing is he did something rare in this business, he offered his guidance to all the young, up and coming superstars. But they were ungrateful and entitled. He says respect is not requested, it’s expected. Not just from the rookies but from everyone.
Miz says he was passed over on a movie and the fourth thing is not only did he who shall not be named and his good time buddies ruin his SmackDown, he brought back a nick name. A very untrue nick name. The fans chant tiny balls. He says this will not become a thing again, there is a silver lining. We are in 2026 and John Cena is gone. Miz says there is a new face of WWE and unlike the city, he actually wins Championships. He says he is the most decorated WWE superstar and that means he is the face of WWE, he is the gateway for the company, he is the locker room leader and he is the adult in the room filled with spoiled little brats.
Randy Orton’s music hits and out he comes to the ring and Miz is smiling. The fans chant Randy and Miz tells the fans that Orton is back and to let him hear it. The fans chant RKO and Miz says not him. He tells Orton that it’s good to have him back and they fist bump. Miz says as he was saying, they are the adults in the room, they are the locker room leaders, they are the gateways to the company and they could be Miz KO.
Orton looks at Miz and the fans. Orton hits Miz with an RKO and he points his finger. Orton gets Miz up, tells him happy new year and hits him with an RKO. He climbs the top rope and his music hits.
We cut backstage and The Kabuki Warriors are together. In come Nia Jax and Lash Legend. Nia and Lash tell them that they will help them win tonight and after that, they can give them a title match. Asuka says they will be happy to owe them a beating. On Monday, they will keep the titles and after that, they can face them anytime. Asuka walks away and Kairi Sane tells them they should be ready for the Kabuki Warriors and she walks away.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, we see Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes backstage. Orton says out of respect, now that he is back, once Cody beats Drew McIntyre, he is coming for the title. Orton walks away and in comes Nick Aldis. He tells Cody that Drew is there tonight and they both know that Drew will try to get under his skin but he cannot let that happen. If Cody touches him before their match in Berlin, he will forfeit the title. Cody tells him he doesn’t have to worry, that won’t happen.
Eight Woman Tag Team Match – Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY vs. The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax and Lash Legend
The bell rings and both teams begin to fight. Rhea and Asuka start the match. Asuka with kicks and she goes for another kick but Rhea stops her. Rhea with a kick and Asuka falls to the outside of the ring. In comes Kairi Sane but Rhea throws her to the outside of the ring. Alexa is tagged in and she lands a cannon ball onto Asuka and Sane.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Alexa with a tornado DDT onto Nia. Flair is tagged in and she climbs the top rope. Flair with a cross body onto Nia and Lash Legend. Flair with chops to the chest onto both Nia and Lash. Flair with a kick to the face onto Nia followed by the Natural Selection. She climbs the top rope and she lands the moon sault. She goes for the cover but Nia kicks out. Flair hits Asuka with a big boot. Flair grabs Nia but Nia throws her into the corner and Flair flips onto the ring apron. Flair with a big boot. She goes for a spear through the ropes but Flair falls onto the mat and Nia with a leg drop. She goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. Asuka is tagged in and she goes for a right hand but Flair ducks. Flair goes for the cover but Asuka kicks out. Flair goes for the Figure Four but Sane climbs the top rope and she lands the Insane Elbow. Alexa gets in the ring but Sane throws her to the outside. IYO is tagged in and she snaps Sane’s arm onto the top rope. IYO climbs the top rope and lands a drop kick onto Sane and Asuka. IYO goes to tag Rhea but Nia pulls Rhea to the outside and throws her into the barricade. Asuka with a kick onto IYO. Lash is tagged in. IYO gets on the ring apron and jumps towards Asuka but she ducks and Lash with a big boot. She goes for the cover but IYO kicks out.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Asuka and IYO are n the ring. Asuka tags Sane into the ring and they double team IYO. Sane goes for an elbow but IYO moves and Sane elbows Asuka. IYO goes for the tag, Asuka grabs IYO by the legs but IYO kicks her away. Rhea is tagged in and she hits Asuka and Sane with right hands. Rhea goes for the RipTide but in comes Nia who hits her with a big boot. All eight women get in the ring. Sane jumps off the top rope but Rhea grabs her and she headbuts Sane. Rhea with the RipTide. IYO is tagged in and she climbs the top rope. IYO with the moon sault. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss
We cut to Nick Aldis and Jordynne Grace. He tells her he wants her on SmackDown. In comes Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. She tells him that it’s too cold for her to go to the ring. Aldis tells her that she is interrupting. Grace tells Aldis that her decision will be easy. Chelsea tells Aldis that emotionally, she cannot go to the ring and asks him if he has seen the ending of Stranger Things. Aldis tells her that she can be a fighting Champion or he can impeach her and strip her of the title. Chelsea storms out.
-Commercial Break-
Kit Wilson walks down to the ring and he says he is redefining masculinity. And he is in Buffalo, home of the most toxic sports fans in all of America. Zack Ryder’s music hits and out comes Matt Cardona.
Kit Wilson vs. Matt Cardona
The bell rings and we are under way. Wilson with a running back elbow. Michael Cole says that Nick Aldis told him in his earpiece that Matt Cardona is now on SmackDown. Wilson with right hands but Cardona with right hands followed by a flap jack. He clotheslines Wilson to the outside of the ring. He throws Wilson back into the ring and in the corner. Cardona climbs the second rope and hits Wilson with right hands but Wilson slides under him and trips him up. Wilson with elbow drops. He goes for the cover but Cardona kicks out. Wilson places Cardona on the top rope but Cardona pushes him away. Cardona with a drop kick followed by a clothesline. Cardona with right hands and he gets Wilson in the corner. Cardona with a running kick to the face. Cardona with a double underhook suplex. He goes for the cover but Wilson kicks out. Cardona grabs Wilson but Wilson kicks him away. Wilson with the Turn-A-Kit. He goes for the cover but Cardona kicks out. Wilson runs towards Cardona but Cardona kicks him away. Cardona with the Rough Rider. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Matt Cardona
We cut backstage and Cathy Kelley is with Damian Priest. He tells her that he has been going to war with Aleister for six months. He says enough is enough and one way or another, this ends tonight. He tells Black that for half a year, Black tried to change him and break him. He is not his creator. The only thing Black has done is wake something up that even his crazy mind wouldn’t understand. He says he will stuff him in an ambulance and send him to the ER because tonight, Black is going to fade to black.
-Commercial Break-
A Wyatt Sicks promo video airs. Uncle Howdy says that Solo mocks what he does not understand. He says his family is not made up of just them, their family is filled with millions of fireflies around the world that will always remember. He tells Solo that it’s time for them to chop down their family tree at the root. He says when the dust settles, they will be the one’s.
Sami Zayn’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. He says he hasn’t been around the last couple of weeks, it feels good to be back. He says he got to do something recently that was pretty profound, he got to sit and enjoy the show like everyone. He got to sit in the front row and watch John Cena’s last match with his son. Zayn says it hit him in a way that he didn’t expect. Zayn says they introduced Cena, the match starts and his son turns to him and asked him why they call Cena the last seen 17. Zayn explains that it’s because Cena won the title 17 times and his son asks him how many times he won it. Zayn had to tell him zero and his son asked him why. Zayn says he didn’t really have an answer and he understands why it would be confusing for his son. He says his son has watched him in the ring every week with Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, John Cena. They all have Championships. Zayn says he has brought Championships but his son does not understand why the Championship is missing.
Zayn says he is not here to talk about it, he is here to do it. He says 2026 is here and he is coming for the WWE Championship. Out comes Trick Williams.
The fans chant Whoop that Trick. He introduces himself and says he has finally arrived. He says they have not been formally introduced. Some call him Tricky Two Times, some call him Whoop that but Zayn can call him Trick Willy. He is what happens when you get Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson and Mike Tyson in the ring at the same time. He says Aldis called him and said he needs him on SmackDown. Aldis told him he wants someone that is tall, dark and handsome. Zayn begins to talk but Trick tells him he is not done talking.
Trick says he can take off his coat, his shades, his lemon pepper steppers and he is still 6 foot 5, 250 pounds and in other words, Trick Williams is a grown ass man. And that is what Aldis is trying to say. They need someone who can challenge for the Champion. Trick tells him they are nothing alike, it won’t take him 20 years to get an opportunity. He is not someone that will almost get the job done like Zayn.
They look at each other and Trick says he is done talking. Zayn says all this is right, the problem is Trick has yet to be humbled. He asks Trick if he is the first guy to look good, be good, go through the ropes and say they will skip the line and be Champion. He is not the first person to get in his face. Zayn says he has no problem teaching Trick a lesson and teaching him a thing or two about what it means to be humbled. Zayn drops the microphone and leaves the ring.
We see clips of Carmelo Hayes winning the United States Championship last week.
Carmelo Hayes is backstage and in comes Ilja Dragunov. He wishes him a happy new year. Ilja says last week, he wanted to fight the best and the best version of the best. He says Hayes gave him that and while the outcome is not what he expected, there are worst things in life than losing to him. But it wasn’t a last time. Ilja asks him if he plans on continuing the open challenge and Hayes tells him he will keep it going. And when they plan to run it back, he will keep the lights on for him.
Ilja walks away and Hayes sees Miz. He asks Miz what’s up. Hayes tells him that this would not have been possible without him and he thanks Miz for it. Miz says he has come to his senses. Hayes thanks him for finally leaving him alone because he has been better ever since.
-Commercial Break-
Nick Aldis is backstage with Rey Fenix. In comes Trick Williams who tells Aldis that Zayn disrespected him. Fenix says Trick needs to learn respect. Trick tells him that he is twice his size and Aldis breaks it up. Aldis makes a match for next week, Rey Fenix against Trick Williams.
United States Open Challenge – Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Johnny Gargano with Candice LeRae
As Hayes is getting in the ring, Gargano goes for a right hand but Hayes with a right hand and he throws Gargano to the outside of the ring. Gargano gets back in the ring and the bell rings, we are under way. Hayes with right hands and he slams Gargano into the corner. Gargano with a right hand followed by a leg drop. Hayes runs towards Gargano but Gargano with a kick to the face. Gargano with chops to the chest. Gargano runs towards Hayes but Hayes slams him down and hits him with a knee. Gargano rolls to the outside and Hayes runs to the ropes but Gargano puts Candice in front of him. Hayes stops, Gargano gets on the ring apron and he spears Hayes who falls to the outside of the ring. Gargano with a splash over the top rope.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Gargano with a DDT and he goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. Gargano goes for a kick but Hayes grabs his leg. Hayes with right hands and Hayes with a springboard clothesline followed by a face buster. He goes for the cover but Gargano kicks out. Hayes slams Gargano in the corner and kicks him on the back of the neck. Hayes with a leg drop and Gargano falls to the outside of the ring. Hayes with a splash over the top rope onto Gargano. He throws Gargano back in the corner. Hayes climbs the top rope and he lands a frog splash. He goes for the cover but Gargano kicks out. Hayes with a clothesline and he climbs the top rope. Gargano gets on his feet and he hits Hayes with right hands. Gargano climbs the second rope and he gets Hayes on his shoulders. Hayes rolls onto his feet and he kicks Gargano. Hayes climbs the top rope and he goes for a suplex but Gargano slams Hayes onto the mat. Gargano goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Gargano with a clothesline. Gargano goes for a kick but Hayes with a kick. Hayes off the second rope but Gargano with a kick. He grabs Hayes but Hayes with a cutter. He goes for the cover but Gargano kicks out. Gargano is on the ring apron and Hayes grabs him but Gargano with a right hand. Gargano jumps but Hayes with a kick. Gargano with a kick. Gargano jumps but Hayes hangs him up on the top rope. Hayes jumps over the top rope and slams Gargano face first onto the ring apron. He throws Gargano back in the ring. Hayes on the top rope, he jumps, Gargano moves, Hayes lands on his feet and Gargano with a tornado DDT. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. Hayes rolls to the outside of the ring and Gargano with a suicided dive. He throws Hayes back into the ring. Gargano goes for a spear but Hayes with a kick. Hayes climbs the top rope but Candice gets on the ring apron and that distracts Hayes. Gargano trips Hayes up. Gargano climbs the top rope and he slams Hayes onto the mat. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. Gargano grabs Hayes but Hayes with The First 48. Hayes climbs the top rope and he lands Nothing but Net. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Still WWE United States Champion, Carmelo Hayes
We cut to Tama Tonga backstage and in comes Shinsuke Nakamura. He speaks to Tama in Japanese and Tama replies back in Japanese. Nakamura laughs and walks away. Solo comes up behind Tama and asks him if it’s okay and Tama tells him it is, that’s an older chapter. He asks him about The Wyatt Sicks and Solo tells him he spoke to Aldis about them. He said next week, it will be four on four and after that, they will take the Tag Team titles. Solo tells him the men are waiting and to leave Buffalo. Solo walks away as Tama looks the other way.
-Commercial Break-
An Aleister Black video package airs. He talks about Damian Priest and he says that after tonight, Black will never be the same again. Zelina says tonight, they will put the final nail in the coffin of Damian’s delusions.
We cut to Cathy Kelley who is with Jade Cargill. Cathy tells her that Michin suffered an injury at a WWE live event in a match against Cargill. She tells Cathy that Michin stepped up and found out. In comes Jordynne Grace who says she is thinking of signing to SmackDown and Cargill tells her that she is that bitch. Grace tells her she is Grace and Cargill is definitely one of those.
We cut to Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes. He asks Zayn if he has seen Drew McIntyre and Zayn tells him that he hasn’t Cody tells Zayn that apparently everyone is being honest tonight. Zayn says he respects Cody and he likes him but surely Cody has to understand where he comes from. In comes Nick Aldis who asks them how they are doing. Cody asks Aldis if he has seen Drew and he says he hasn’t yet. Cody says he is calm but they have to handle this and he is going to the ring now.
-Commercial Break-
An Oba Femi video package airs.
Cody’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. Cody asks the fans what they want to talk about. He asks how does one obtain the richest prize and the most sought after belt. He says he is not the biggest, fastest or strongest. But what separates him is simple, it is his mentality when approaching anyone in a WWE ring. The fans sing Cody, Cody Rhodes. He raises the Championship in the air and says his mentality when approaching anyone is he gets there early. He wants them to see him seeing them. That is the secret, when they see the Championship, they see him, They think the money, the fame, the suits, the jet, the bus, the fans. And then comes the envy and Drew McIntyre reeks of envy. But he is grateful for it, he is thankful for it. He is glad that Drew became this mountain to climb and he cannot wait for the fight. But in the spirit of an arena that is important for him and fans that have rallied for him, he is going to say an even bigger secret.
He says when he sits in the back and smiles, he plays dumb. When the Unreal cameras think they are capturing something, they are playing checkers, he is playing chess. No one asks him what he sees. When he sees Drew, he sees lunch. You can call yourself the Final Boss, the Tribal Chief, the Game, the Greatest of All Time but he is the one who calls himself the champ. And that does not change in Berlin.
We see Drew McIntyre on the big screen standing outside. He says Cody is predictable because he is old school, he is traditional. In a world full of shades of gray, Cody is as vanilla as it gets. He thought hard about the stipulations.
Drew says the first stage is a straight wrestling match, he will prove to Cody that he is the better wrestler. Fall number two, the falls will count anywhere. And if by some miracle it is 1-1, they go to a third fall, it is inside an old school steel cage. No outside interference, no bs, two men enter, one Champion leaves. He has broken Cody mentally and next week, he will break him physically. That is if Cody is still Champion because if Cody touches him, he is stripped of the title. They will have a lesson in self control. He wanted to have the conversation on the Cody express, Cody’s home away from home but Cody wasn’t there . He said he let himself in, he saw some gifts from his wife and kids. There was one item that stood out to him. Drew holds up a picture of Cody with his dad, Dusty.
He says he wishes Dusty was still there today to see the man Cody is today but he knows Dusty is looking up truly ashamed. He says he knows a lot of people think it will be a cold day in hell before he is Champion again but he hopes Dusty has a coat because it is about to get very chilly.
Drew throws the picture on the floor and Cody runs to the outside. WWE officials stop Cody and tell him he is not there. We see Drew in the ring with a garbage can.
Cody runs towards the ring but he is stopped by security and Nick Aldis. Drew holds the picture of Cody and Dusty, he tells him happy new year. Drew lights the picture on fire with a lighter and throws it in the garbage can. Drew gets in front of Cody and he tells Cody to hit him. Security and Aldis stop Cody.
-Commercial Break-
WWE Women’s United States Championship – Chelsea Green (c) with Alba Fyre vs. Giulia with Kiana James
The bell rings and we are under way. Giulia with a drop kick and she throws Chelsea across the ring. Giulia with a running kick to the face and Green falls to the outside of the ring. Giulia to the outside and she slams Green face first onto the announce table. She throws Green back into the ring. Giulia pushes Fyre and Green with a suicide dive onto Giulia.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Giulia and Green with right hands. Green with a clothesline followed by a kick to the side of the head. Green goes for the cover but Giulia kicks out. Green goes for the Unpretty Her but Giulia with a head butt. Green with the Rough Rider. She goes for the cover but Kiana is on the ring apron, distracting the referee. Fyre trips Kiana down. Giulia with a right hand but Green with a kick to the face. Green climbs the top rope but Giulia with a right hand. Giulia climbs the top rope and she lands a double underhook suplex. Giulia with a northern lights bomb. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: New Women’s United States Champion, Giulia
Cathy Kelley is backstage with Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY. Rhea tells her that they have waited a long time to get their hands on the Kbuki Warriors. The titles will be coming home with them. IYO says and they will finally be Champions together. In come Flair and Bliss. Rhea tells them that they want to be Champions again and after they get the titles, they are next in line. Bliss says they know the Kabuki Warriors can be sneaky and she wishes them good luck. Rhea looks at IYO and asks if they mean it. Flair says they are next in line and Rhea says if they want seconds, it’ll be their play and their pain.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Johnny Gargano is with Candice LeRae. In come Fraxiom and they tell him that it’s a new year, maybe he can take it as a sign to move on and grow up. He tells him to give him back his mask. Gargano tells him that mask is a gift from his wife. He gives the mask to Candice. They tell him that’s low and they argue. Axiom says he will ask Nick Aldis for a match and when he beats Gargano, he will take the mask.
Ambulance Match – Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black with Zelina
As Priest is entering the ring, Black hits him from behind. Black with right hands but Priest with right hands and he throws Black to the outside of the ring. Priest to the outside and Black with a big boot. Black grabs Priest towards the ambulance that is near the entrance. Black opens the ambulance door but Priest with right hands. Black with a big boot and he tries to put Priest in the ambulance but Priest with a right hand. Priest pulls a stretcher out of the ambulance and he drives it into Black. Priest lifts Black up and throws him onto the stretcher.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, both men with kicks and Priest with a clothesline in the middle of the ring. Priest with a running elbow to the face and Black falls to the outside of the ring. Priest with a running shoulder tackle and Black falls over the announce table and to the floor. Priest throws Black over the announce table and towards the ring. Priest grabs Black but pushes him into the ring post. Black grabs a steel chair and he hits Priest across the back with it. Black places Damian’s head in between the chair and Black kicks the chair. Black goes for a chair shot but Priest with a chokeslam onto the ring apron. Black rolls into the ring and Priest gets in the ring. Black climbs the second rope but Priest with a kick. Priest climbs the second rope and he lands a a hurricanrana. Priest grabs Black and Black with a spinning kick.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Priest is on a stretcher near the ambulance. Priest with a kick onto Black but Black hits Priest with a back board. Black slams Priest throat first onto the edge of the board. Black asks Zelina to open the ambulance door and she does but out comes Rhea Ripley. She chases Zelina into the ring and grabs her. Rhea with the RipTide in the ring. Black grabs Priest but Priest with a right hand. Black with a kick and he places Priest inside the ambulance. Black closes the first door and he goes to close the second but Priest kicks the door open. Priest grabs a crutch and he hits Black across the back with it. He uses the edge of the crutch and hits Black with it. He grabs Black but Black pushes Priest into the ambulance door. Black with a knee to the face and Priest falls into the ambulance. Priest kicks Black away. Priest uses the fire extinguisher and sprays Black with it.
Priest with a fireball onto Black’s face. Priest gets out of the ambulance and closes the doors shut. Priest walks towards the back and pulls out a massive table. Priest grabs Black but Black lands on his feet. Black opens the side door and he slams it onto Priest. Black grabs Priest but Priest slams Black into the ambulance. Priest grabs Black but Black pushes him into the barricade and Black with a big boot. Black with a kick to the side of the head. Black pulls out an equipment case and he places Priest on it. Black climbs the barricade but Priest with a right hand. Priest gets Black in the Razor’s Edge and he slams him onto the windshield of the ambulance. Priest lifts Black up and places him on to the top of the ambulance.
Priest grabs Black and he pushes Black off the ambulance through the table. Priest gets down from the ambulance and tries to open the ambulance doors but they’re locked. Priest opens the side of the ambulance door and grabs Black. Priest opens the ambulance door and he throws Black into the ambulance. Priest closes the first door and he closes the side of the ambulance door. Priest closes the ambulance door and the bell rings.
Winner: Damian Priest
We see highlights of the match and back to Priest. We see the ambulance driving away and SmackDown goes off the air.
Quick Match results:
— Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss def. The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax and Lash Legend
— Matt Cardona def. Kit Wilson
— Carmelo Hayes def. Johnny Gargano to retain the WWE United States Championship
— Giulia def. Chelsea Green to win the WWE Women’s United States Championship
— Damian Priest def. Aleister Black in an ambulance match