WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event results (1/24): Powell’s live review of Randy Orton vs. Trick Williams vs. Damian Priest vs. Sami Zayn for a shot at the WWE Championship, Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu

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 YouTube 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.

Moments later, Styles set up for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Nakamura caught him on his shoulders before driving him to the mat and covered him for a good near fall. Nakamura performed a rough-looking sling blade clothesline. Styles dropped Nakamura with a kick. Both men got to their feet and traded kicks and punches. Nakamura headbutted Styles and then rolled him into an armbar. Styles rolled on top of him and got a two count, which forced Nakamura to release the hold.

Nakamura went for a Kinshasa, but Styles blocked it. Styles tried to roll him into a Calf Crusher, but Nakamura rolled through, stood up, and drilled him with a knee strike. Nakamura went for another Kinshasa, but Styles moved, and Nakamura crashed into the corner. Styles charged Nakamura, who sent him over the top rope to the apron. Styels hit Nakamura and then avoided a kick and wrenched Nakamura’s leg over the top rope. Styles hit the Phenomenal Forearm and followed up with a Styles Clash that led to the clean pin.

AJ Styles defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in 21:20.

After the match, Styles and Nakamura bumped fists, bowed, and then hugged. Styles raised Nakamura’s arm. Nakamura pointed at Styles. Nakamura exited the ring, leaving Styles to have a moment alone…

Powell’s POV: This was likely the last match between Styles and Nakamura. They came through with a highly entertaining, back-and-forth match. There wasn’t much suspense in terms of who would win. But the way this match felt wedged in a week before Styles puts his career on the line adds to the suspense of his match with Gunther, as one would think that if Styles was on the verge of retiring, he’d want to have one more match with Nakamura.

The broadcast team ran through the Royal Rumble lineup…

Stepanie McMahon spoke from her podium and set up footage from earlier in the night of Sami Zayn arriving at the venue and being greeted by fans…

Randy Orton made his entrance for the main event. The fans sang along with Orton’s theme song. Damian Priest was out next to a mild reaction. Cole said Priest needed ten stitches in his lip and cheek after his match with Trick Williams on Smackdown the previous night. Williams was out next, and the fans said the usual “whoop that Trick” line. Sami Zayn was out last to a big hometown ovation…

3. Randy Orton vs. Trick Williams vs. Damian Priest vs. Sami Zayn in a four-way for a shot at the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. Cole said he spoke with Kevin Owens, who said he and Zayn have a complicated relationship, but they’ll always be brothers, and he was pulling for him to win. The fans sang the “Ole” song as the match started. Trick took a powder and was booed.

Orton went for an RKO on Priest, who shoved him away. Zayn clotheslined Priest over the top rope to the floor. Orton and Zayn squared off, but Trick pulled Zayn to the floor. Orton followed and roughed up Trick until Priest put him down. Priest threw Zayn back inside the ring and worked him over while some fans booed.

Later, Orton put Priest down with a powerslam. Orton followed up with a two clotheslines and a powerslam on Zayn. Orton clotheslined Trick over the top rope to the floor. Orton put Priest down with a Draping DDT. Trick returned to the apron and was set up for another Draping DDT, but Zayn grabbed Orton and executed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.

Zayn set up for a Helluva Kick on Orton, but Trick caught Zayn with a kick and covered him for a two count. Priest sent Trick to ringside with a kick. Priest followed and charged Trick, who slammed him on top of the barricade. Zayn hit a flip dive on Trick. Zayn dumped Orton on the broadcast table.

Zayn returned to the ring and hit Priest with an exploder suplex in the corner. Zayn followed up with a Helluva Kick and had Priest pinned, but Trick pulled the referee to the floor. The referee jawed at Trick. Orton roughed up Trick and then slammed all three opponents onto the broadcast table, which left them all down on the floor. Orton picked up Trick and dumped him on the table again before rolling him back inside the ring.

Orton entered the ring, but Trick scrambled out the other side. Zayn rolled up Orton for a two count. Orton charged Zayn, who moved, and Orton crashed and burned in the corner. Zayn went up top and had to jump over a charging Orton. Zayn stuffed an RKO. Zayn went for a Helluva Kick, but Orton hit him with an RKO. Trick tossed Orton out of the ring and tried to steal the pin on Zayn, but Priest returned to break it up. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.

Orton hit a Double Draping DDT on Trick and Priest. Orton struck the Viper’s Pose. Orton went for an RKO, but Trick shoved him toward Priest, who hit a South of Heaven chokeslam. Trick unsuccessfully tried to steal the pin. Zayn returned and went for a Helluva Kick that Trick avoided.

Trick went up top while the fans booed until Zayn cut him off. Zayn joined Trick on the ropes. Priest hit Zayn and then performed a Razor’s Edge on him. Trick stood on the apron and took a swing that Priest ducked. Priest kicked Trick to knock him to the floor. Zayn hit Priest with a Helluva Kick and pinned him.

Sami Zayn defeated Damian Priest, Trick Williams, and Randy Orton in a four-way in 17:00 to earn a shot at the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.

Zayn celebrated his win. Drew McIntyre ran out and tried to attack Zayn, who dodged it and then cleared McIntyre from the ring. Cole hyped Zayn challenging McIntyre for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. Pyro shot off on the stage. Cole questioned if Zayn would finally realize his dream by winning the WWE Championship. Barrett reminded viewers that Zayn has never beaten McIntyre…

Powell’s POV: They may have risked killing the town had Zayn taken another high-profile loss in his home city. They’ve been foreshadowing McIntyre vs. Zayn, so the outcome isn’t too surprising. But it was an enjoyable match, even though they were not able to sell me on anyone else going over.

Overall, this was a strong event despite having only three matches and a big brawl. All three matches delivered, and the show left me more excited about the Royal Rumble. Jake Barnett and I will team up for a same-night audio review of Saturday Night’s Main Event that will be available for everyone as this week’s Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast. Let us know what you thought of SNME by voting for the best match and grading the overall show.

Join me for my live review of the Royal Rumble on Saturday.