WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - January 2nd, 2026

[Kemo]

Drew McIntyre set to reveal stipulations for 3 Stages of Hell Match against Cody Rhodes

Tonight, the dangerous Drew McIntyre will lay out each part of his upcoming Undisputed WWE Championship 3 Stages of Hell Match against Cody Rhodes. How will The American Nightmare respond to The Scottish Psychopath?

— Michael Cole and Corey Graves greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video recapping what happened between Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes last Friday.

— The Miz crashes the ringside area, and begins airing his grievances with several things including not being John Cena's final opponent (despite losing two tournament matches), none of the up and coming starts taking his advice, being passed over for the movie Marty Supreme, and Joe Hendry. He says there's a new face in WWE who wins championships and continues gloating about all the titles he's won.

Randy Orton's music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. The Miz invites the live crowd to make some noise for Orton, then tells Orton it's good to have him back. He says himself and Orton are the adults in the room, locker room leaders, the faces of WWE, and potential tag team partners as "Miz-KO".

Orton responds to The Miz's proposal by delivering an RKO to him, then wishes The Miz a Happy New Year and lands a second RKO on him.

— The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) are backstage. Nia Jax and Lash Legend come by and tell them that teaming up together is hard for them. Jax and Legend ask for a title shot after they help them win tonight. Asuka says all they owe them is a beating and that they can face them anytime. Asuka leaves and Sane tells them they're not ready for The Kabuki Warriors. Asuka yells for Sane and she runs off to Asuka.

— Randy Orton talks to Cody Rhodes backstage and tells Rhodes with all due respect that he's coming for Rhodes' title. Nick Aldis comes by and tells Rhodes that he cannot attack Drew McIntyre or he forfeits his title.

— IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss then make their way to the ring. Lash Legend, Nia Jax, and The Kabuki Warriors follow.

Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Lash Legend, Nia Jax & The Kabuki Warriors

Legend, Jax, Asuka, and Kairi Sane attack Ripley, SKY, Flair, and Bliss. The bell rings as Asuka fires off kicks on Ripley in the middle of the ring. Ripley catches one of Asuka's boot, but Asuka lands a kick on Ripley's midsection. Ripley sends Asuka crashing out of the ring with a dropkick and sends Sane crashing out to join her.

Being the only one standing on the apron, Bliss tags in and delivers a cannonball to Sane and Asuka off the apron on the outside. She dumps Asuka back in the ring during the break, but Sane sneaks into the ring while the referee has her back turned and clocks Bliss from behind.

Sane then tags in and delivers a kick to Bliss' spine. She follows it up with a dropkick to her before Jax tags in and sends Bliss crashing into the top turnbuckle face first. Legend then tags in and lands a standing splash on Bliss. She goes for a pin, but Bliss kicks out.

Legend wears down Bliss with a pair of submission holds and tags out to Jax. Jax and Legend whip Bliss into the ropes, but Bliss catches them with a pair of boots and lands a Tornado DDT out of the corner on Jax. Flair tags in back from the break and lands a crossbody on Legend and Jax off the top rope. She delivers a cartwheel clothesline to Legend and connects with Natural Selection Jax, then steps over Jax and hits a moonsault on her off the top rope.

Flair pins Jax, but Jax kicks out. Asuka and SKY tag in, and SKY lands a double stomp on Asuka's chest. She sends Sane's arm bouncing off the top rope and ascends to the top rope, then delivers a double dropkick to Sane and Asuka. Ripley then looks to tag back in, but she gets pulled off the apron before she can.

Legend tags in and runs over SKY with a boot as she flies off the ropes. Jax tags in during the break and mocks SKY by doing SKY's signature taunt, then tags in Legend. Legend lands a series of overhand chops on SKY as Jax holds her in place and pins her, but SKY kicks out.

Asuka tags in and fires off kicks on SKY in the corner, then fires off right hands on SKY back from the break. Sane tags in and double teams on SKY with Asuka. They look to land a sliding forearm-knee strike combination, but SKY avoids it. Asuka knocks Bliss off the apron, but SKY manages to tag in Ripley.

Ripley lands a thrust kick on Asuka and runs over Sane with a pair of clotheslines. Sane looks to land a spinning backfist on Ripley, but accidentally hits Asuka. This opens the door for Ripley to land a Shining Wizard on her and set up for Rip Tide, but Asuka comes to Sane's aid. Bliss lands a Sister Abigail on Asuka, and Ripley levels Legend with a dropkick. Sane then looks to fly off the ropes, but Ripley catches her and rocks her with a headbutt. She follows it up with Rip Tide and tags in SKY. SKY then lands the Over The Moonsault off the top rope on Asuka for the win.

Winners: IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss

— Nick Aldis talks to Jordynne Grace backstage and tells her he wants her to be on SmackDown in 2026. Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre come in - Green says she cannot go out there and defend her belt against Giulia. Aldis tells Green she should be a fighting champion and says since she cannot defend he will strip her of her title. Green gets pissed and leaves.

— Before his match, Kit Wilson gets on the mic and says he's redefining masculinity. He calls Buffalo toxic sports fans and calls out some of the Bills players. Matt Cardona comes out interrupting him and he's facing Kit Wilson.

Matt Cardona vs. Kit Wilson

The bell rings and Wilson fires off stomps on Cardona in the corner of the ring. Cardona lands a dropkick on Wilson through the middle rope, then delivers an elbow drop to Cardona and goes for a pin. Cardona kicks out, but Wilson fires off a few right hands on him and sends him crashing into the mat face first.

Cardona catches Wilson with a dropkick off the middle rope, then sends his face bouncing off the mat face first. He follows it up with Rough Ryder for the win.

Winner: Matt Cardona

— Cathy Kelley talks to Damian Priest backstage. She asks him about his 2025 and being entangled with Aleister Black for most of it. Priest says enough is enough and it ends tonight.

— A promo for The Wyatt Sicks play where they call out Solo Sikoa and The MFTs. Uncle Howdy says it's time for the to chop down Solo's Family Tree from the root.

— Sami Zayn then makes his way to the ring.

Zayn says he hasn't really been around the last couple of weeks and it feels good to be back in the ring. He says the fans saw him in the audience during John Cena's final match at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13, and as he did so, something hit him. He says while Cena was being introduced, his son asked him why Cena is called the "Never Seen Seventeen". He says he explained to his son that Cena is a seventeen time World Champion, and says his son responded by asking why Zayn has never been a World Champion.

Zayn says he talked a lot last year about becoming a World Champion and it made him sick. He says he's here to do it now.

Trick Williams' music hits, and he makes his way out. He formally introduces himself to Zayn and rattles off a few of his accomplishments including being a former two time NXT Champion. He says Nick Aldis called him to say that he needed him on SmackDown, and while Zayn looks to speak, Williams cuts him off. He says SmackDown needs someone to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Champion, then says he's on the brand to be Undisputed WWE Champion. He says it didn't take him 20 years to get to WWE or the guy who's almost done like Zayn is, but Zayn tells Williams he's not the first guy to think he gets to skip the line for the Undisputed WWE Champion. He says he has no problem teaching Williams a lesson about what it means to be humbled and heads to the back.

— Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov talk backstage. Dragunov says while losing the title wasn't what he wanted, he is happy he lost to the best Hayes could bring. Dragunov asks if Hayes if he's going to keep the Open Challenge. Hayes says he will. Hayes sees The Miz and thanks The Miz for leaving him alone because now he's thriving.

— Nick Aldis talks to Rey Fenix backstage. Trick Williams comes in pissed off as to how Sami Zayn treated him. Williams and Fenix get in each other's faces. Aldis makes a match for next week against Rey Fenix.

WWE United States Championship Match: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Johnny Gargano (w/Candice LeRae)

Gargano looks to clock Hayes from behind. Hayes sees Gargano coming and dumps him out of the ring, but Gargano gets back inside and the bell sounds. Hayes fires off shoulders on Gargano's midsection, then lands a splash on him in the corner and follows it up with a leg drop.

Gargano lands a series of chops on Hayes' chest, but Hayes runs over Gargano with a knee strike and looks to fly. Gargano pulls LeRae in front of him to stop Hayes' momentum and sneaks up on him from another side of the ring. He delivers a spear to Hayes through the middle rope and flies over the top to take down Hayes on the outside.

Gargano delivers a chop to Hayes during the break, but Hayes responds with one of his own. Hayes and Gargano then get back in the ring, and LeRae uses the middle rope to take a cheap shot at Hayes as Gargano distracts the referee. Gargano then lands a neckbreaker on Hayes and pins him, but Hayes kicks out.

Back from the break, Gargano lands a Tornado DDT on Hayes out of the corner. He fires off kicks on the side of Hayes' head, but Hayes fires off chops and forearms on Gargano. He flies over the top rope to level Gargano on the outside, then dumps him back in the ring and delivers a Frog Splash to him off the top rope. He goes for a pin, but Gargano kicks out.

Hayes levels Gargano with a clothesline, but Gargano trips Hayes on the top rope and joins him on it. Hayes slips out and rocks Gargano with an enzuigiri, then looks to send Gargano crashing into the mat off the middle rope. Gargano reverses into a Swinging Neckbreaker and goes for a pin, but Hayes kicks out.

During another commercial break, Hayes lands a springboard DDT on Gargano and pins him. Gargano kicks out and rolls up Hayes, but Hayes kicks out. Gargano then rocks Hayes with a kick to his head and sends him crashing into the middle turnbuckle before he pins him. Hayes kicks out.

Gargano rocks Hayes with an enzuigiri to his head, but Hayes responds with a dropkick to Gargano and exchanges right hands with him. Gargano delivers a shoulder to Hayes' midsection from the apron and lands a couple right hands on him, but Hayes flies over the top rope to trip Gargano.

Hayes dumps Gargano back inside and flies off the top rope. Gargano moves out of the way and spikes Hayes with a DDT, then goes for a pin but Hayes kicks out. He lands the First 48 on Gargano and ascends to the top rope, then connects with Nothing But Net for the win.

Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Carmelo Hayes

— Tama Tonga is backstage watching the match. Shinsuke Nakamura come in and speaks to Tonga in Japanese and Tonga replies back in Japanese. Solo Sikoa comes in and asks him if everything is ok, Tonga says it is and asks what is going on with The Wyatt Sicks. Sikoa tells him it's a four on four match next week.

— A video promo with Aleister Black and Zelina plays. Black tells Damian Priest that nothing will change with him and the only thing that will change is him. Zelina says it's time for them to put the final nail in the coffin of his delusions.

— Cathy Kelley talks to Jade Cargill. Cargill says she intentionally injured Michin at a live event. Jordynne Grace stops by and says she's here to check out her options and Cargill tells her to sign with RAW because she's the bitch and SmackDown is her show. Grace says Cargill is definitely a bitch.

— Cody Rhodes walks backstage and sees Sami Zayn. He asks Zayn if Zayn has seen Drew McIntyre and then talks about Zayn's promo tonight. Zayn says he respects Rhodes but Rhodes has to understand his point of view. Nick Aldis swings by and Rhodes asks him if he's seen McIntyre. Aldis says no, and Rhodes says he's headed to the ring.

— Cody Rhodes then makes his way to the ring.

Rhodes asks Buffalo what they want to talk about, then says while he's not the fastest or the youngest in the ring, his mentality is his strength. He says his mentality approaching anyone in WWE is to show early and make sure others in the back see him see them. He says when people see him, they see the money, the jets, and the fans which leads to envy. He says Drew McIntyre wreaks of envy, then says he's glad McIntyre has become a mountain to climb and he can't wait for their Three Stages Of Hell Match next Friday.

Rhodes says he sees lunch when he sees McIntyre, then says no matter the nickname, he's the one who calls himself champ in this era of WWE. He says that doesn't change next Friday.

McIntyre appears on the Titan Tron outside of the arena near Rhodes' trailer and says Rhodes is so predictable because he's old school and traditional. He says he's thought long and hard about what stages of Hell he wants to chose for their match next week, then says he's chosen a regular match, Falls Count Anywhere, and Steel Cage as the Three Stages. He holds up a picture of Rhodes and his father Dusty Rhodes he got from inside Rhodes' trailer, then smashes it and stomps on it.

Rhodes runs to the back on the hunt for McIntyre as officials try stopping him so that he won't fight with McIntyre and get stripped of the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Rhodes runs into several security guards, other officials and Nick Aldis as McIntyre sneaks into the ring with the picture and a garbage can. Rhodes runs back to the ring as McIntyre eggs him on. When Rhodes reemerges at ringside, he gets held back by the guards and officials as McIntyre burns the picture of Rhodes and his father and throws it into the garbage can.

— Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre then make their way to the ring. Giulia and Kiana James follow.

WWE Women's United States Championship Match: Chelsea Green (c) (w/Alba Fyre) vs. Giulia (w/Kiana James)

he bell rings and Giulia goes right after Green. She dumps her across the ring and lands a boot on her face, then gets in Fyre's face on the outside. Green takes advantage and flies over the top rope to level Giulia on the outside, but Giulia rocks Green with a headbutt back in the ring during the commercial break.

Giulia whips Green into the other corner and connects with a suplex on her, then continues wearing her down and locks in a rear chokehold on Green. Green sends Giulia crashing into the corner to break the hold back from the break, and the pair exchange forearms with one another before Green runs over Giulia with a pair of clotheslines.

Green lands an open palm strike on Giulia and pins her, but Giulia kicks out. Green sets up for an Unprettier on Giulia, but Giulia escapes. Green then pins Giulia, but the referee misses the fall while James is distracting him. Fyre pulls James off the ring apron as Green pins Giulia once again. Giulia kicks out, but Green ascends to the top rope and Giulia joins her up there. She delivers a double underhook superplex to Green and follows it up with a Northern Lights Bomb for the win.

Winner and NEW WWE Women's United States Champion: Giulia

— Cathy Kelley talks to Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky. Ripley says they've been wanting to get their hands on Asuka and Kairi Sane for a long time. Sky says they'll finally be champions together. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss come in and Ripley asks if they're here to say the partnership is off and they want to be champs. Bliss says they're here to actually wish them luck. Flair says that they're next in line, though.

— Nathan Frazer and Axiom make fun of Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae backstage. They tell Gargano to grow up and move on. Axiom asks for his mask back and ask why he's standing behind his wife. Axiom says he'll find Nick Aldis and ask for a match and to get his mask back.

— Aleister Black and Zelina Vega then make their way to the ring. Damian Priest follows.

Ambulance Match: Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black (w/Zelina)



The bell rings and Black attacks Priest from behind. He sends him crashing into the corner and fires off right hands on him, then dumps him out of the ring over the top rope. Black drags Priest up the entrance ramp and sends him crashing into the back of the ambulance.

Priest grabs the stretcher from the back of the ambulance and sends it crashing into Black's midsection, then bodyslams Black on top of the stretcher and sets up a table on the edge of one of the barricades as he returns to the ring with Black.

Black connects with a meteora on Priest off the ring steps during the commercial break and through the table Priest had set up on the outside, then fires off kicks on him back inside the ring. He then sends him crashing into the mat with a kick to his face.

Back from the break, Priest sends Black crashing out of the ring and sends him crashing over the announce desk with a shoulder pounce. Black grabs a chair and cracks it across Priest's spine, then lands a kick on his face using the chair and jams the chair into Priest's shoulder.

During another commercial break, Black drags Priest out of the ring and tells Vega to grab the stretcher. Vega does so, and Black lays Priest on the stretcher. He then delivers a meteora to Priest off the ring apron and lands a right hand on him as he tells Vega to grab the chair. Vega does so and Black hits Priest with it. He lays the chair on the stretcher and whips Priest's head into it, then drags him up the entrance ramp.

Black grabs a backboard and places it on Priest's throat, then sends Priest crashing into the Titan Tron. Black tells Vega to open the ambulance, but Rhea Ripley pops out of it and hits a Rip Tide on Vega inside the ring.

Black delivers a right hand to Priest and loads him into the back of the ambulance. He closes one door, but Priest prevents him from closing the other door with his foot and grabs a crutch. He cracks the crutch across Black's spine and chest, but Black delivers a knee strike to Priest and loads him into the ambulance. Priest fights back with a kick to Black that sends him across the entrance ramp, then sprays a fire extinguisher into his face.

Priest grabs a large table from the back, with several objects including a laptop and wires laying on top of it. He sets up for a Razor's Edge on Black through the table, but Black escapes and delivers a boot to Priest. He looks to send Priest's face bouncing off the side of the ambulance, but Priest stops Black and sends him crashing into the side of it.

Priest hits a boot on Black, but Black responds with a kick to Priest's head. Priest gets Priest on top of a roadcase and climbs onto the barricade, but Priest recovers and sends Black crashing on top of the front of the ambulance with a Razor's Edge after he kicks the roadcase away.

Priest drags Black on top of the ambulance, then sends him crashing through the table he had dragged out to the ringside area with a chokeslam. He climbs back down from the top of the ambulance and loads Black into the ambulance, then closes the back doors and the side door to win the match.

Winner: Damian Priest

— After the match, Priest celebrates and tells the ambulance to drive away as the show goes off the air.

[Kemo]