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]
Footage aired from “earlier today” of Cole’s interview with Cody Rhodes. Cole asked Cody’s feelings on Jacob Fatu. Cody said he respects Cole having to ask that.
Jacob Fatu entered the room and was trailed by Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis and three security guards. Cole made his exit. Cody invited Fatu to take Cole’s seat. Fatu sat down and said his concern was Drew McIntyre when he got involved in the steel cage match.
Fatu said he was locked in full throttle on Drew only. He said Cody had to be the hero and put his hands on him, which got him thinking. Cody said Fatu acting rather than thinking is what got him locked up in prison in the first place.
Fatu stood up and asked Cody if he wanted to go there. Fatu said he was locked down at 16 and then 18. He said he had seven kids, no job, and one mattress. He said he didn’t know if he had a job in WWE a month before he arrived. He said he almost got fired before he got hired. Fatu said he’s not complaining because of his choices, which made him a better man and had him standing in front of Cody.
Cody stood up and said the problem is that Fatu was standing across from him and he’s not the WWE Champion. Cody said their match should be for the WWE Championship. Fatu said hell no. He said McIntyre was already out before he stepped in front of him.
Cody said Fatu had the championship situation figured out, but he’s never been in a championship match. Fatu got in Cody’s face and asked if Cody thinks he’s just like every other Samoan that he’s gone against.
“They don’t make ’em like me no more,” Fatu said. “Hell, they ain’t never made ’em like me.” Fatu asked if people say he’s a loose cannon with no self-control. Fatu calmly told Cody that he’s “very in control” and told him to think about that…
Cole and Barrett spoke at ringside. Cole said Aldis made sure that Cody and Fatu left the building after their exchange because he didn’t want to jeopardize their match. Barrett hyped their match for Saturday Night’s Main Event…
Powell’s POV: This was great. Fatu comes off so authentic, not like a guy who is just cutting a pro wrestling promo. Cody’s character has every reason to be angry with Fatu for the role he played in costing him the title, but I liked Fatu’s logic that Cody would have lost before then had he not shown up when McIntyre was on the verge of escaping the cage. It will be very interesting to see how the Montreal crowd reacts to both wrestlers.
Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre were walking backstage when they encountered Jordynne Grace. Green said Jordan is a star who deserves a platform to shine on. Green offered Grace a spot in her Secret Hervice. She said they could work together in the Royal Rumble match.
Green said they could start time, and added that she was going to the ring to beat up “that bully Jade (Cargill) and they could start tonight. Grace confirmed Green was facing Jade and told her to say no more and that she’d be there. Green and Fyre made their entrance while being introduced by ring announcer Mark Nash. Cole pointed out that Green was wearing gear inspired by The Mountie… [C]
[Hour Two] A video aired to announce that Roman Reigns declared for the men’s Royal Rumble match…
Cole hyped the Royal Rumble Kickoff Show for Friday morning at 8CT/9ET. The countdown show will stream on Saturday at 12CT/1ET, and the Rumble event starts at 1CT/ET and will have a post-show right after the main event…
Jade Cargill made her entrance. She approached Jordynne Grace, who was at ringside. Green dove onto the distracted Jade and then threw her inside the ring to start the match…
2. WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill vs. Chelsea Green (w/Alba Fyre) in a non-title match. Jade eventually took offensive control, but she got caught up jawing at Grace, which led to Green diving from the ropes and knocking her down. Jade regrouped. Fyre climbed on the apron, but Jade knocked her down with a big boot. Jade hit Green with Jaded and scored the pin.
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill defeated Chelsea Green in 3:20 in a non-title match.
Afterward, Grace got a mic and asked if the point of this was for Jade to prove that she can wrestle as long as it’s not a title match. Grace said she spoke with Nick Aldis, and she will be in the Royal Rumble match and plans to see Jade on the other side. Grace said the alternative was that they could do it on the spot since Jade was already warmed up. Grace entered the ring and went face-to-face with Jade, who left the ring while Cole said Jade said she would do things on her time…
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair spoke backstage. Flair said Bliss seemed a little distracted. Bliss said she thought they worked it out last week. Bliss said she can focus on other titles and their tag team. Bliss brought up the Royal Rumble and said it would be hard to top last year’s Rumble. “I know because I won,” Flair said. She recalled that Bliss made a big return, but she probably forgot because she won. Flair said they would worry about WrestleMania next week, while tonight would be about their team…
Backstage, Solo Sikoa walked and talked while holding the lantern, while the MFTs walked behind him. He spoke about bringing the WWE Championship back to the family, where he said it belongs. He said that as long as he has the lantern, there’s nothing “that you or he can do about it”…
The Wyatt Sicks made their entrance… [C] The MFTs came out after the break. Solo Sikoa handed the lantern to Talla Tonga and had him take it backstage…
3. Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy (w/Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, and Nikki Cross) vs. Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga (w/Tonga Loa, JC Mateo) for the WWE Tag Team Titles. The challengers roughed up Gacy to start. Lumis tagged in and monkey flipped Tonga, who rolled to the floor. Lumis dropkicked Solo out of the ring. Lumis and Gacy jumped from the apron onto the heels on the floor before a PIP break. [C]
Loa climbed on the apron. Rowan pulled him down and worked over Loa and Mateo. Talla Tonga returned with the lantern and ended up dumping Rowan over the barricade. Howdy used the Mandible Claw on Talla, but Solo cut him off with a Samoan Spike. Solo picked up the lantern and hit Lumis with it while the referee was distracted. Tama hit Lumis with his Cutthroat finisher and then pinned him…
Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga defeated Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy in 9:40 to win the WWE Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: I am going buy two electric lanterns and have one shipped to the Minnesota Vikings and the other to the Minnesota Wild. I’d send one to the Twins, but their tight ass owners would probably return it and pocket the cash.
Backstage, Nick Aldis excitedly told someone on the phone about the title change. R-Truth showed up and said he was there to put his balls on the line. Truth handed his balls to Aldis.
AJ Styles showed up. Truth exited after telling Aldis that he’d sleep well tonight knowing his balls were in good hands. Aldis asked Styles if he was sure that he wanted to put his career on the line. Styles explained his decision, then said he assumed that’s not why Aldis invited him. Aldis said it was not and then motioned for someone off-camera.
Shinsuke Nakamura entered the picture and asked Styles if he was really ready to lose everything. Styles said he’s already lost if he doesn’t stand up to Gunther. Nakamura challenged Styles to prove he’s still Phenomenal by facing him on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Styles asked Aldis if there was room on the card. Aldis said there was. Styles and Nakamura shook hands…
Nathan Frazer made his entrance with Axiom… [C] The broadcast team recapped the tag team title change… Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae made their entrance. They still have the mask they stole from Axiom…
4. Johnny Gargano (w/Candice LeRae) vs. Nathan Frazer (w/Axiom). Cole offered thoughts and prayers Bobby Duncum Sr.’s family. Frazer had Gargano seated on the top turnbuckle when he joined him on the ropes. Gargano powered up Frazer and dumped him on the turnbuckle. Gargano followed up by knocking Frazer off the apron. [C]
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