Smackdown – January 9, 2026: It Hath No Fury

Smackdown
Date: January 9, 2026
Location: Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re overseas this week and it’s a pretty big night as Cody Rhodes is defending the World Title against Drew McIntyre in Three Stages Of Hell. That should be more than enough to carry things, but we also have some fresh faces around here thanks to NXT. We could be seeing some of them this week so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is Randy Orton to get things going. After a quick “I’m glad to be back”, here is Trick Williams to interrupt him. Williams says he’s the new star around here and brags about his future. Orton says he’s just as big and tall, but Williams says he’s different. He’s out here to brush up against one of the best ever and slaps the mic away from Orton. The brawl is on but here is the Miz, who gets dropped with an RKO.

Rey Fenix vs. Trick Williams

Fenix runs into Orton on the way to the ring, with Orton giving him a fist bump in respect. They trade some rollups for two each to start and Williams drops him with a running shoulder. Fenix is right back up with a triple springboard dropkick but Williams sidekicks him down to cut off the momentum. They go outside with Fenix being whipped into the steps as we take a break.

We come back with Williams hitting a pop up uppercut for two but a super Rock Bottom is countered into a hurricanrana. The Trick Kick (spinning kick to the face) gets two more, as does a Rock Bottom. A reverse tornado DDT gives Fenix two and he hits the rope walk kick to the face. Fenix tries a rollup but Williams reverses into one of his own and grabs the tights for the pin at 11:10.

Rating: B-. That’s a good way to start Williams off as he showed he could hang in there with the athleticism but also the intelligence. He’s someone who looks like he could be a player in a hurry around here and that’s always a good addition. Throw in his natural history with Carmelo Hayes and the pieces are all there.

Giulia, with Kiana James, is glad the Women’s US Title is back where it belongs. Tonight, she’s taking out Alexa Bliss.

We look back at Damian Priest beating Aleister Black in last week’s ambulance match.

Priest is wondering about which road to take, because he wants to go after Cody Rhodes. Drew McIntyre comes up and Priest wouldn’t mind going down that road either. With Priest gone, McIntyre reveals he has Dusty Rhodes’ watch. After Rhodes gets disqualified out of anger, McIntyre only needs one more fall.

Alexa Bliss is on the phone with Charlotte, who seems to be sick. Nia Jax and Lash Legend come up to mock her but Bliss blows them off.

Women’s US Title: Giulia vs. Alexa Bliss

Giulia, with Kiana James, is defending. They shove each other to start until Giulia grabs a snap suplex, followed by a middle rope missile dropkick for two. Back up and Bliss knocks her to the floor for a flip dive and we take a break. We come back with James getting in a cheap shot but Bliss hits a quick dropkick. The running Blockbuster gives Bliss two but she misses a flipping splash. The big knee knocks Bliss silly, though she’s right back up with a Sister Abigail DDT. A distracting James is brought in and Bliss goes up, where Lash Legend shoves her off. The Northern Lights Bomb retains the title at 8:12.

Rating: C+. They told a simple story here, with Bliss needing her partner/friend to pull off the title win. Giulia is tough enough on her own and beating Bliss makes her look even better. Charlotte will be back and we can get to the big tag match sooner than later. It’s not a great match on its own, but it sets things up for the future rather well.

Post match Jax and Legend lay Bliss out.

Jordynne Grace is officially signed to Smackdown and gets into it with Alba Fyre. A match is set for later. Kit Wilson comes in to complain about toxicity around here but gets a door shut in his face.

Matt Cardona talks about the work it took to get back here. Cody Rhodes is here too though and Cardona says he’s here to win the title. Rhodes says that once he’s done with Drew McIntyre, they’ll talk. Works for Cardona and they’re cool.

We recap the Wyatt Sicks vs. Solo Sikoa and the MFT’s.

Wyatt Sicks vs. Solo Sikoa/MFT’s

Tama and Lumis trade shoulders to start and it’s quickly off to Gacy to knock Tama outside. Stereo suicide dives hit Tama and Loa and it’s a staredown as we take a break. We come back with Sikoa hitting Gacy with the running Umaga attack. Gacy manages to get away though and the tag brings in Rowan to clean house.

Rowan and Talla have their bit staredown into the brawl as everything breaks down. A chokeslam drops Gacy and Rowan and Talla hit stereo clotheslines to leave them both down. Howdy and Sikoa come in to slug it out with Howdy taking over. JC Mateo (not in the match) is dragged in but Sikoa grabs the lantern, which is enough of a distraction for Tama to hit the Cutthroat for the win at 10;16.

Rating: B-. Nice job here, with the Tag Team Title match likely being set up for later. I’m curious to see where it goes as the MFT’s might get the belts back, as the Wyatts have had them for a rather long time. This was enough of a wild match that it stayed interesting and the lantern being the Wyatts’ weak spot is fine.

Carmelo Hayes runs into Miz, who is coming for the title but not tonight because of his neck. Hayes scares him into thinking Randy Orton is behind him, which has Miz’s neck a lot better. With that out of the way, Hayes runs into Ilja Dragunov, who says they will fight again at some point, but right now he has something else to set up. They’re on good terms.

Video on Oba Femi.

Jordynne Grace vs. Alba Fyre

Chelsea Green is here with Fyre, who gets chopped into the corner to start fast. Something like a Big Ending drops Fyre but she gets in a tornado DDT for a quick two. A spinebuster drops Fyre again though and Beast Mode (torture rack powerbomb) finishes for Grace at 2:36. Pretty dominant debut.

Post match Jade Cargill comes out and isn’t impressed because this is her show and she’s that censored.

Sami Zayn kind of wants Drew McIntyre to win the title tonight, just because McIntyre is the one guy he can’t beat…but yeah he’s betting on Cody. Either way, he’s coming for the winner.

Nathan Frazer is getting ready for the US Open Challenge….but Axiom jumps him. Ah it’s Johnny Gargano, with Axiom running in to chase him off.

US Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. ???

Hayes is defending against….Shinsuke Nakamura. Hayes takes him down by the arm to start and hits a nice dropkick. Nakamura gets dropped again and we take an early break. We come back with Nakamura striking away and grabbing a dragon screw legwhip over the ropes. Another dragon screw over the ropes sets up a half crab, with Hayes making the rope. They strike it out with Hayes getting the better of things and hitting a running DDT for two.

We take another break and come back again with Hayes getting tied in the Tree Of Woe. Nakamura’s sliding knee only hits buckle though and Hayes hits a dive out to the floor. The frog splash misses for Hayes and Nakamura is right back on the leg. What looked like an AA is countered into a Stunner and Nakamura charges into a superkick. Another springboard DDT connects but Nakamura knees him down. Kinshasa is countered into the First 48 and Nothing But Net retains the title at 18:30.

Rating: B-. Another good performance from Hayes, though I wasn’t wild on some of his selling issues. The knee was rather banged up but Hayes could still do most of his offense. That’s a bit annoying, though I can go with Hayes getting another win to boost him up even further. It’s been needed for awhile now and it’s working.

Cody Rhodes talks about how bringing in Dusty Rhodes’ watch is lazy and he’s ready.

Commentary says this third hour is commercial free, despite the previous match, which took place in this hour, having a commercial. Liars.

Nick Aldis announces a set of qualifying matches for next week, with the winners going on to a four way at Saturday Night’s Main Event for the World Title shot at the Royal Rumble.

The qualifying matches:

Miz vs. Randy Orton
Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams
Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa
Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov

We recap Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes. They’ve been feuding for months, with McIntyre trying to make it personal and drive Rhodes over the edge. Tonight, it’s Three Stages Of Hell for the title.

Smackdown World Title: Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

Rhodes is defending in Three Stages Of Hell, with the first fall being a regular match, then falls count anywhere, then a cage match. Rhodes starts fast and knocks him outside for the suicide dive. They’re already back in for a Beautiful Disaster Kick into the Bionic Elbow as McIntyre is in early trouble. They head outside with Rhodes being sent into the steps but he comes right back in to slug away. The turnbuckle is ripped off but McIntyre gets in a low blow, setting up a Claymore for the first fall at 3:41.

McIntyre – 1
Rhodes – 0

We’re off to a falls count anywhere match and Rhodes is put through a table for the fast two. Rhodes is back with a suplex in the aisle for two and they fight into the crowd. McIntyre gets bitten on the head while Rhodes takes a photo with a fan’s phone, which isn’t something you often see.

They fight into the back, with McIntyre sending him into various things. Rhodes fights up and puts him on a table, which is somehow enough for Rhodes to go into the balcony for a splash. Somehow that’s only good for two and they fight back to ringside, with McIntyre in trouble. A quick Claymore attempt doesn’t work so Rhodes sends him over the announcers’ table. Cross Rhodes through the table ties it up at 12:55.

McIntyre – 1
Rhodes – 1

We’re in a cage, with both of them sending the other into the steel. McIntyre gets suplexed for two but he sends Rhodes into the cage for two of his own. They go up top, where McIntyre superplexes him back down for the big crash. McIntyre strikes away but Rhodes hits the pop up uppercut.

A quick Futureshock gives McIntyre two but Rhodes spins over into a Cross Rhodes for two more. That leaves them both down and Rhodes is busted open as they strike it out. The powerslam gives Rhodes two and a Cody Cutter connects for the same. Two Cross Rhodes connect but the third is countered with a ram into the exposed buckle.

The Claymore gets two so McIntyre climbs up. Rhodes is right there to knock him back down, followed by a super Cody Cutter for a rather near fall. McIntyre cuts off a climb and they crash down. That leaves McIntyre to go for the door….but a man in a hoodie is back. It’s the returning Jacob Fatu, who jumps McIntyre and then beats up Rhodes, allowing McIntyre to escape and win the title at 31:04.

Rating: B. The last few minutes boosted this up a lot, as the first two falls were just an ok brawl. McIntyre had to win the title at some point in there, as he lost so many times that it didn’t feel like it was going to matter anymore. The best part is this opens the door in a huge way, as there are several people who could take the title from McIntyre, who could also keep it for awhile. On top of that, it’s always nice to have the occasional surprise title change, just to remind you that it can happen.

Overall Rating: B. They’ve managed to have two big time Smackdowns in a row with the three hour format, which is more than I was expecting them to be able to do. Next week is already set up to be another big one so they’re off to a nice start. The title change here is obviously the most important part and it has me interested in where things are going. That’s a good sign and Smackdown is off to a strong start (albeit an early one) in the new year.

Results
Trick Williams b. Rey Fenix – Rollup with tights
Giulia b. Alexa Bliss – Northern Lights Bomb
Solo Sikoa/MFT’s b. Wyatt Sicks – Cutthroat to Howdy
Jordynne Grace b. Alba Fyre – Beast Mode
Carmelo Hayes b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Nothing But Net
Drew McIntyre b. Cody Rhodes 2-1

 

 

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