By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,380)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at KAFD
Simulcast live January 30, 2026, Netflix internationally (same day delay on USA Network)
[Hour One] Michael Cole checked in on commentary and touted the show’s host city. Cole narrated backstage/arrival shots of Gunther, AJ Styles, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, and Sami Zayn… A Saturday Night’s Main Event recap video aired…
Cody Rhodes made his entrance for an in-ring promo. Cody spoke of winning the Royal Rumble for a third time. He said it would make sense to challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship.
Cody said Drew might not be the champion, and said it could be his friend Sami Zayn. Cody said he’s taken the road less travelled at times during his career, and then teased challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. Cody said he is going into the match with something no one else in the field has as a two-time winner. There were some boos.
Randy Orton’s entrance music played, and he came out to massive cheers. Orton told the Saudi fans that he loves them. Orton put his hand on Cody’s shoulder, which drew loud RKO chants. Orton spoke of his friendship with Cody. Orton told Cody that there is nothing more dangerous than a Viper chasing number 15.
Orton said they will not be friends or brothers during the Rumble match. He said he would throw Cody over the top rope without hesitation. Orton told Cody he isn’t the only one who has won the Rumble twice.
Jey Uso’s entrance music played, and he ran out via the stage. Jey played to the crowd once he was inside the ring, then ran it back. Jey said they were talking about winning their third Rumble, but he intends to win it back-to-back.
Sami Zayn’s music played, and then he headed to the ring while the fans sang along with his entrance theme. The fans sang the “Ole” song and waved their cellphone lights. Zayn spoke briefly in Arabic.
Zayn said he was in the ring with three of the absolute best. He said that since they were talking about their Rumble plans, he would do the same. Zayn said there were three talking points. He said he has a chance to win the WWE Championship, but he has to beat Drew McIntyre, who is 11-0 in their past matches. Zayn said the third story point was that he has never lost a match in Saudi Arabia. Zayn said he would win the WWE Championship.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Paul Heyman said while offstage. Heyman walked out with The Vision’s Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory. Heyman said he looks in the ring and sees four superstars, but no vision. He said there’s no vision in Zayn winning.
Heyman said Saturday won’t be Jey, Cody, or Orton’s night. A “shut the f— up,” chant broke out. Heyman started to speak in Spanish, then apologized and said it was the wrong international city. Funny. He said Saturday will be Breakker’s night. Orton told Heyman to shut up and told his crew to come to the ring for an ass-whooping.
Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis walked out and said everyone could see where this was going. He said he wanted to give the fans a Royal Rumble preview. Aldis booked Zayn, Cody, Orton, and Jey vs. Breakker, Reed, Logan, and Theory in an eight-man tag for later in the show…
Cole hyped Carmelo Hayes’s latest U.S. Championship open challenge for after the first commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: The Orton and Cody exchange was the highlight of the segment. It will be interesting to see if that’s a major story during the Royal Rumble match. I’m not big on trivial eight-man tag matches, but this one has a lot of star power and some intrigue in terms of whether there are any issues amongst the teammates on either side heading into the Rumble.
Cole thanked Linkin Park for the Royal Rumble theme song… Wade Barrett checked in on commentary and joined Cole in hyping the eight-man tag main event…
Carmelo Hayes made his entrance for the U.S. Championship open challenge while ring announcer Mike Rome introduced him. Hayes stood on the ring and nodded when Rey Fenix’s entrance music played. “Hell yeah,” Cole said…
1. Carmelo Hayes vs. Rey Fenix for the U.S. Championship. Cole said he believed this was the first time Hayes and Fenix met in a singles match. They cut to a break roughly a minute into the match. [C]
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