By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,379)
Montreal, Quebec, at Bell Centre
Simulcast live January 23, 2026, on USA Network (Netflix internationally)
[Hour One] Michael Cole opened the show and narrated arrival/backstage shots of Cody Rhodes, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Giulia and Kiana James, The MFTs, and WWE Champion Drew McIntyre…
Sami Zayn made his entrance for a promo while Cole hyped Zayn vs. Randy Orton vs. Trick Williams vs. Damian Priest in a four-way on Saturday Night’s Main Event for a shot at the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Zayn’s hometown fans sang along with his song, chanted his name, and sang the “Ole” song. Zayn opened with a line in French and then said in English that it was good to be home. Zayn said he felt like he had all the momentum in the world heading into the four-way match. He said he had a chance to become the No. 1 contender in Montreal.
Trick Williams’ entrance music interrupted Zayn. Trick spoke as he walked down the entrance aisle. Trick recalled Zayn didn’t get the job done the last time Zayn had a chance to win the WWE Championship in Montreal. Trick said he gets the job done.
Zayn said that he and Trick are not on the same level. He said Trick has all the potential in the world, and maybe in five, ten, or 15 years, he will be half as good as Zayn is. Zayn said that if Trick thinks he was wrong, he could do something about it on the spot.
Trick looked into the crowd and then said, “No.” Trick said he had a match with Damian Priest in the Smackdown main event, so he and Zayn could take care of business on Saturday.
Damian Priest made his entrance and joined Zayn and Trick inside the ring. Priest recalled telling Trick that he does a lot of talking, but he said Trick didn’t say a word to him when he got in his face last week.
Priest said he believes Trick is afraid of him and fears that he’ll drop him where he stands if he says the wrong thing to him. Priest said Trick would always do something about it if he disagreed.
Trick asked Priest if he thought he was scared. “Watch this,” Trick said before striking Zayn with the microphone. Trick tried to throw a punch at Priest, who blocked it and then worked over Trick with punches.
Zayn pulled Priest away from Trick so that he could hit him. Priest returned the favor by pulling Zayn away from Trick. Zayn shoved Priest. Trick shoved Priest into Zayn and then exited the ring while his entrance theme played. Zayn and Priest jawed at one another, and then they both watched Trick as he headed toward the stage…
Randy Orton was shown watching the backstage monitor. Cathy Kelley approached Orton and asked if he was being strategic when he chose to observe rather than engage. He asked what kind of question that was, and said 2026 is the year of The Viper. Orton said he would win the four-way, travel halfway across the world to Saudi Arabia, and beat Drew McIntyre to win the WWE Championship…
Cole and color commentator Wade Barrett spoke briefly from their ringside desk…
Footage aired from earlier in the day of U.S. Champion Carmelo Hayes telling Ilja Dragunov that the open challenge was his if he wanted it. Dragunov asked if he was serious. He spoke about how he lost his chance at the WWE Championship to Zayn last week. He asked if Hayes thought he was so stupid that he would compete in his condition. Dragunov said Hayes knows him well and told him he’d see him in the ring.
The Miz showed up after Dragunov left and did his usual bickering with Hayes. Miz asked Hayes what Dragunov ever did for him. Hayes said Dragunov gave him more of an opportunity than Miz ever did…
Carmelo Hayes made his entrance… [C] Ilja Dragunov made his entrance coming out of the break…
Powell’s POV: It’s always fun to see Zayn (and Kevin Owens) in front of the Montreal fans. Trick continues to make the most of his mic time. Here’s hoping that Miz showing up backstage wasn’t intended to set up his getting involved in the U.S. Title match.
1. Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Dragunov for the U.S. Championship. Hayes avoided the Constantin Special. Dragunov avoided a springboard move. Both men threw simultaneous clotheslines and were down before an early picture-in-picture break. [C]
Dragunov turned Hayes inside out with a Constantin Special and then covered him for a near fall. Dragunov leapt from the ropes, and Hayes tried to hit him with the First 48 on the way down, but Dragunov stuffed it. Dragunov powerbombed Hayes and got another near fall. [C]
Dragunov performed a deadlift superplex and covered Hayes for a two count. Both men ended up on the apron. Dragunov encouraged Hayes to hit him. “What’s wrong with you?” Hayes asked. They traded strikes. Hayes turned a suplex into a cutter on the apron, and then both men tumbled to the floor.
Back in the ring, Dragunov cut off Hayes on the ropes and then pulled him onto his shoulders before performing a Death Valley Driver into the corner. Dragunov picked up another two count.
Dragunov went up top. The Miz showed up at ringside and shoved him down while the referee was focused on Hayes. Dragunov was clotheslined over the top rope on his way down. Hayes hit the First 48 and scored the pin while Miz applauded from the floor.
Carmelo Hayes defeated Ilja Dragunov in 16:35 to retain the U.S. Championship.
After the match, Hayes saw the replay on the big screen and showed anger with Miz…
Powell’s POV: A good match with a weak finish. It may have packed more of a punch had they not filmed the backstage segment with Hayes and Miz, as fans wouldn’t have had their guards up for Miz getting involved.
Cole set up a video package on the Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu feud. After the video aired, Cole hyped his sit-down interview with Cody, saying it was intense and almost got out of control…
Cole plugged that pre-orders for the WWE 2K26 game start on January 30… [C]
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