By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
January 24, 2026, in Montreal, Quebec, at Bell Centre
Simulcast live on Peacock (and Netflix internationally)
Stephanie McMahon stood behind a podium off the main floor. She said her partner Joe Tessitore was stuck in a Detroit airport due to the weather. She said it was -7 degrees in Montreal. She said tonight kicks off the road to the Royal Rumble. Stephanie closed with the “are you ready?” bit…
Powell’s POV: It’s -7 in Montreal? Is that all? It’s -8 where I am.
Michael Cole checked in on commentary and listed the attendance as 12,891. Cole narrated various backstage/arrival shots…
Jacob Fatu was shown walking backstage. Fatu said he was locked in and was “about to beat your ass.” Fatu was shown walking through the Gorilla Position area and then made his entrance. Cody Rhodes came out wearing an American Nightmare helmet, which he removed on the stage. Lilian Garcia delivered the introductions, and Wade Barrett checked in on commentary with Cole.
Once Cody made it to the apron, Fatu attacked him. Both men fought. Referee Charles Robinson tried to step in, but he was knocked over. A group of referees, producers, and security intervened and pulled the wrestlers apart. Fatu worked over the security guards in the ring and then performed a moonsault onto Cody and the security guards on the floor.
Fatu started to walk toward the back, but Cody caught up to him, and the brawl resumed. Cody rolled Fatu inside the ring and followed him. Cody clotheslined Fatu over the top rope to the floor and then hit a suicide dive that sent Fatu over the broadcast table.
Cody and Fatu fought into the crowd. Security followed, yet failed to keep them apart. Cody set up for a move on the floor, but Fatu countered with a backdrop. They left the main floor and went up the steps. Cody spat a drink at Fatu. They made it to the top of the steps and fought into the concourse. Cody threw a plastic recycling bin at some of the security guards.
Fatu put Cody through a table that was set up in front of images of Montreal Canadiens players. They fought back into the arena and down the steps. They ended up fighting on the barricade just off the main floor. A security guard joined them in an attempt to separate the wrestlers, but Cody and Fatu tossed him onto the other security guards on the main floor.
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre showed up and tossed Fatu off the apron through a table below. McIntyre low-blowed Cody and then powerbombed him off the apron through a table on the floor. Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis and a group of producers stood on the stairs. McIntyre dropped down to the main floor, entered the ring, and glared into the hard camera before a commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: The lack of an actual match was disappointing, but the wild brawl helped make up for it. I assume the McIntyre interference will lead to an eventual Triple Threat. WWE has pulled back on the nostalgic music and some of the show’s look. I know some fans will miss it, but it felt like they got what they could out of it, and it was time to move on.
The broadcast team recalled the brawl and McIntyre’s involvement…
Backstage, Cathy Kelley caught up with Drew McIntyre and said he owed everyone an explanation after what he did to Cody and Fatu. He said it was a statement to everyone on the roster. He said if you want to run your mouth or come near him or the title, that’s exactly what’s going to happen…
Entrances for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title match took place…
1. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky vs. Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Lilian Garcia delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Sky was isolated early. Ripley tagged in and worked over Morgan with two short-arm clotheslines, a kick, and a fallaway slam.
Perez got involved. Ripley set up for a powerbomb from the ropes, but Perez countered with a huracanrana. Morgan hit Ripley with a Codebreaker and covered her for a near fall. Sky tagged in. Ripley performed a Razor’s Edge on Morgan, and then Sky followed up with a missile dropkick. Sky had the pin, but Perez broke it up.
A short time later, Sky went for Over The Moonsault, but Perez put her feet up. Perez hit Pop Rox and had the pin, but the referee stopped counting when Ripley was a hair late to break it up. Ripley tagged in and hit Perez with a headbutt and then put her down with her Riptide finisher. Sky tagged in and hit Over The Moonsault and went for the pin.
Raquel Rodriguez showed up at ringside and tripped Ripley from the floor, causing Ripley to fall on top of the referee. REF BUMP!!! Rodriguez powerbombed Sky on the floor and put her back in the ring.
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer ran out and fought with Rodriguez. Perez got a near fall on Sky once the referee recovered. Morgan tagged in and hit Sky with Oblivion, but she didn’t see Ripley tag in. Ripley kicked Morgan and then hit her with a Riptide before pinning her.
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky defeated Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez in 13:25 to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: A fun match that was more suspenseful than I anticipated. The challengers had some believable near falls, along with Rodriguez’s interference. It’s great to see Vaquer out of the walking boot. Will the dynamic change between Morgan and Perez now that they came up short?
A video package aired on AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura. Cole said their match was up next… [C]
AJ Styles made his entrance and wore a mask that covered his face, but not his entire head. Cole said the last time Styles wore a mask was in January 2016 when he faced Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Cole plugged Styles vs. Gunther in what will be Styles’ retirement match if he loses. Nakamura made his entrance…
2. AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. Cole said the first time Styles and Nakamura met was in a tag match in 2008. He said they didn’t have their first singles match until 2018. Nakamura had a run of early offense. Styles put him down with a ushigoroshi. Nakamura came back with a kick.
Nakamura hit his sliding German suplex. He followed up with a flying knee from the middle rope and then covered Styles for a two count. Nakamura went for his finisher, but Styles cut him off with a chop block. Styles followed up with a dragon screw leg whip. Styles rolled Nakamura into the Calf Crusher, but Nakamura reached the ropes to break it.
Styles rolled Nakamura into the Calf Crusher. Nakamura eventually neared the ropes, so Styles gave it up to roll him back toward the middle of the ring, but Nakamura stuffed it and caught him in a triangle choke. Styles got to his feet and went for a Styles Clash that Nakamura avoided. Styles threw a kick at Nakamura, who then dove toward Styles’s legs and took a nasty-looking knee to the chin.
Styles and Nakamura traded strikes. Styles connected with a Pele Kick, but Nakamura immediately drilled him with a Kinshasa. Nakamura sold knee pain. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. He eventually stood up and signaled for his finisher again, but he fell to the mat when he tried to take a step forward. Styles drilled Nakamura with a knee strike of his own and then covered him for a two count.
What happened to the old school SNME music????
And no old school turnbuckles either. I’m sorry but the nostalgia is an important part of this show. Those of you are who are in 40s or older get what I’m saying…