The Miz interrupted the commentary team as they were kicking off WWE SmackDown and said that he had some grievances to air from last year to kick off 2026.
The Miz complained that he didn’t get the match that he asked for during John Cena’s retirement tour, the younger stars all ignored his advice, something about Hollywood, and that his very untrue nickname was brought back.
Thanks for the submission!
The crowd instantly started chanting ‘tiny b*lls,’ and The Miz said that, now that Cena was gone, he was the new face of WWE. Randy Orton made his return, and the crowd started chanting ‘RKO’ before The Miz suggested that they should team up.
Randy considered it for a moment before dropping The Miz with an RKO and walking out.
The Kabuki Warriors were backstage on SmackDown when Nia Jax and Lash Legend asked for a tag team title match. Asuka said that they have a match this Monday on RAW, but after that, she would consider it.
WWE SmackDown Results (January 2, 2026):
- Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley def. Kabuki Warriors, Lash Legend & Nia Jax
- Matt Cardona def. Kit Wilson
- Carmelo Hayes def. Johnny Gargano to retain the United States Championship
- Giulia def. Chelsea Green to become the new United States Champion
- Damian Priest def. Aleister Black
WWE SmackDown Results: Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley vs. Kabuki Warriors, Lash Legend & Nia Jax
The heels attacked everyone else before the bell, and the match started off with Asuka and Rhea in the ring. Charlotte tagged in and got some big moves on Asuka before locking in the Figure Eight, but Kairi broke it up with a diving elbow.
IYO came in with a big dive, but Lash took her down in midair with a big boot. The match broke into chaos before Kairi hit a dive, but Rhea caught her and got the Riptide. IYO came in and hit the moonsault on Kairi for the win.
Result: Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley def. Kabuki Warriors, Lash Legend & Nia Jax
Grade: B
Nick Aldis was backstage with Jordynn Grace and told her that he had big plans for SmackDown in 2026, and she would be a part of it. Chelsea Green showed up complaining about the internet, and Nick Aldis told her that if she didn’t defend her Women’s United States Championship, it would be stripped from her.
WWE SmackDown Results: Kit Wilson vs. Matt Cardona
Wilson got moves in early on, but Zack Ryder/Matt Cardona came back with a big lariat and a dropkick.
Matt got the big boot before kicking out of the Torniquet. Cardona came back with the Rough Ryder before getting the win.
Result: Matt Cardona def. Kit Wilson
Grade: C
Damian Priest was in an interview backstage on SmackDown and hyped tonight’s Ambulance match against Aleister Black.
We got a Wyatt Sicks promo with them talking about chopping down Solo Sikoa’s Family Tree.
Sami Zayn made his big return to SmackDown and said that during John Cena’s final match, when he and his son were watching from the front row, his son asked him how many times he had won the world title. Sami had to tell his son that he had won it zero times before his son asked why.
Sami didn’t have an answer to the question and didn’t understand why. So in 2026, he plans to win the WWE Championship. Trick Williams showed up and shushed Sami, saying that he was there to add some flavor to SmackDown and planned to be the new WWE Champion.
Sami admitted that Trick had the look of a champion, but that was about it. Zayn said he was going to teach Williams a lesson before shoving the mic into Trick’s hand and walking off.
Ilja Dragunov congratulated Carmelo Hayes on his title win, and the latter said that Dragunov would get his rematch whenever he was ready.
Rey Fenix and Trick Williams got into an argument backstage, and Nick Aldis booked them in a match next week, setting up Williams’ SmackDown debut.
WWE SmackDown Results: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Johnny Gargano – United States Championship match
Hayes started off strong and got a big running knee to send Gargano outside before a distraction from Candice LeRae allowed Johnny to get back in with a big spear. Melo hit the Fade Away leg drop before getting a near fall.
Johnny came back with a superplex before getting a big DDT for a near fall. Hayes went up to the top rope, but a distraction from Candace allowed Gargano to get the Air Raid Crash. Melo came back with First 48 before getting Nothin’ But Net for the win.
Result: Carmelo Hayes def. Johnny Gargano to retain the United States Championship
Grade: B+
Shinsuke Nakamura and Tama Tonga had an exchange backstage in Japanese before Solo Sikoa came in and said that once they take down the Wyatts, they would focus on the Tag Team titles.
Backstage on SmackDown, Jade Cargill gloated about injuring her potential challengers before she was confronted by Jordynn Grace.
Sami Zayn confronted Cody Rhodes backstage before Nick Aldis came in to diffuse the situation. Cody headed out to the ring to speak to the crowd before we headed for a break on SmackDown.
Cody Rhodes was out next on SmackDown and said that Drew McIntyre showed how envious he was of the champ. Cody said he was the only one who got to call himself the champ, until Drew showed up on the titantron and said Rhodes was too old school, too vanilla.
Drew said he would prove he could beat him at any time, anywhere, be it in a steel cage or a traditional wrestling match. But before they face each other, Drew was going to teach Cody some self-control, since if Cody loses his cool and attacks him, he would lose the title.
Drew then showed him a gift he had stolen from Cody’s locker, a picture of Dusty and Cody. McIntyre slammed the picture on the ground and stomped on it, smashing it before Cody ran outside, only to be stopped by security.
Drew showed up in the ring, and Cody ran back to the ringside before watching McIntyre light the picture on fire and drop it in a trash can. Security barely managed to hold the champ back before SmackDown moved on.
WWE SmackDown Results: Chelsea Green (c) vs. Giulia – Women’s United States Championship match
Giulia made some big moves early on, sending Green outside and into the announce desk. Alba Fyre distracted Giulia and allowed Green to get a big dive to the floor before the champ took control of the match.
Kiana James distracted the ref and cost Green a pin opportunity before Alba Fyre dropped her at ringside. Giulia came back with a superplex and hit the big Northern Lights Bomb for the win!
Result: Giulia def. Chelsea Green to become the new United States Champion
Grade: B
Backstage on SmackDown, Fraxiom asked Gargano for Axiom’s mask back, but the latter said that they were bullying him.
WWE SmackDown Results: Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black – Ambulance Match
Black attacked Priest right before the bell, before the match headed outside and near the ambulance. Priest hit Black with the stretcher and dropped him on it before the two headed back to the ringside. Priest set up a table on the barricades before Black sent him through it with a meteora.
Priest took a kick to the face through a steel chair before Zelina brought the stretcher to the ringside. Black got a meteora onto the stretcher before Zelina got a steel chair, and Aleister slammed it into the back of Priest’s head. Priest took a backboard to the throat before Zelina opened up the ambulance door.
Rhea Ripley showed up from inside the ambulance and chased Zelina into the ring before getting her with the Riptide. Black put Priest into the ambulance, but the latter got out before he could shut the doors. Priest beat Aleister down with a crutch before spraying him with a fire extinguisher.
Black took a fireball to the face before Priest got a table, but missed the Razor’s Edge. Priest hit the Razor’s Edge into the Ambulance’s windshield!
The two got to the top of the ambulance before Priest chokeslammed Black into the tables below. Priest sent Black into the ambulance and shut the doors before getting the win.
Result: Damian Priest def. Aleister Black
Grade: A+
Priest stood tall as the show went off the air.
Edited by Angana Roy
