The January 16, 2026 episode of Friday Night SmackDown will be taped from the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England, as WWE continues its European tour. The blue brand promises a stacked lineup with key storyline progressions, major title implications, and high-stakes tournament action.
Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre returns to SmackDown just days after winning the brutal Three Stages of Hell match. After Jacob Fatu’s involvement in that outcome, all eyes will be on how McIntyre handles the fallout. The show will also feature four qualifying matches, with the winners advancing to Saturday Night’s Main Event. The final winner from that event will earn a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Also scheduled is Carmelo Hayes’ United States Championship Open Challenge, with fans eager to see who will step up.
Matches & Key Moments Scheduled for WWE SmackDown on January 16, 2026
- Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre Appears
- Carmelo Hayes’ United States Title Open Challenge
- #1 Contender Qualifier: Randy Orton vs. The Miz
- #1 Contender Qualifier: Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams
- #1 Contender Qualifier: Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa
- #1 Contender Qualifier: Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
The spoiler coverage kicks off at 3:00 PM ET. Ringside News will provide live, match-by-match updates and highlights throughout the night. Stay tuned to this page, refresh for the latest results as the action unfolds, and join the conversation in the comments below.
WWE SmackDown Results (1/16/26): Live Match Updates and Highlights
The announcers are Michael Cole and Corey Graves.
We take a look back at last week’s Smackdown.
Randy Orton arrives at the arena, followed by Damian Priest and then Solo Sikoa.Matt Cardona is shown arriving at the arena.
Drew McIntyre makes his entrance with a special bagpipe introduction.
He makes his way to the ring and soaks in the “Oh, Drew McIntyre” chants before grabbing a mic. “I prayed for this and it happened,” Drew says to start things off. He says the last few years in the UK have been rough, but if anyone can carry the load, it’s him. He admits the love he’s gotten since winning has been nice — then turns on the crowd.
He tells them straight up: screw you. He says when he got fired, nobody was there. When Roman Reigns screwed him over, nobody cared. When CM Punk was causing problems, fans were cheering Roman and doing the YEET chant. When Cody and the referees cost him, there was no hashtag support. He says 99% of the fans only showed up after the fact.
Drew says the only person he needs to thank is himself. He thanks himself and tells the crowd they should be chanting “Thank you, Drew.” Then he says there’s one person he needs to address — the former champion. He pauses and says the word “former” cuts like a knife every time.
Drew says he knows Cody is getting ready to demand a rematch, but he made sure there was a clause in the contract — no rematch. Cody has to work his way back up. He says the “vanilla QB1 era” is over and now everyone has to deal with the dangerous, unpredictable Drew McIntyre era.
Randy Orton’s music hits. Drew asks Randy if he’s out there to congratulate him. Randy looks around and tells Drew — and everyone in London — they don’t like each other at all. He says he’s not there to congratulate him, but to remind him that months ago Drew had the chance to kick his head through the announce table and chose not to. Randy says when he gets the chance to return the favor, he won’t hesitate. He says he’s beaten Drew for the title before and he’ll do it again thanks to the three most dangerous letters: R… K… O.
Jacob Fatu’s music hits and he heads to the ring. Drew tells Fatu to slow down, but Fatu punches him and they brawl to the floor. Fatu sends Drew into the announce table, but Drew fires back and throws Fatu into the ring post. Drew tries to climb over the barricade, Fatu stops him, Drew lands an elbow, and Fatu keeps coming.
Then The Miz sneaks up from behind and drops Drew with a Skull Crushing Finale.
#1 Contender Qualifier: Randy Orton vs. The Miz
The match is already underway with Miz in control, landing punches and a DDT for a near fall. Randy goes to the floor, then sneaks in a thumb to the eye. Orton tries for a back body drop driver, but Miz lands on his feet and answers by dropping Orton onto the announce table.
Back in the ring, Miz kicks Orton and follows with punches, but Orton fires back and takes over. Miz sends Orton to the ropes and looks for the Awesome Clothesline, but Orton counters with a clothesline of his own, then hits another. Orton ducks a shot and plants Miz with a powerslam. Orton goes for the IEDDT, but Miz escapes to the floor. Orton kicks him and drives him onto the announce table with a back body drop driver. He does it again, and when the crowd still wants more, Orton delivers a third one.
Orton rolls Miz back into the ring and stops him on the apron before hitting the IEDDT. Randy drops to the mat and starts setting up, but Miz suddenly counters with a Skull Crushing Finale for a close near fall. Miz goes for another Skull Crushing Finale, but Orton counters with a snapmare. Miz avoids the RKO and nearly steals it with a rollup. Orton quickly recovers and catches Miz with an RKO for the three-count.
Winner: Randy Orton
Drew hugs his title belt as he heads to the back. Ilja Dragunov stops him and says it’s nice to finally speak face to face. Ilja says he’s going to beat Sami and move one step closer to the title, adding that he won gold on his first night back because he doesn’t fight like a sane man. Drew says he doesn’t care, because now he’s being chased by a madman. He tells Ilja he’ll see him at the Rumble if he wins. Drew adds that he didn’t knock out Jacob’s teeth, but he will knock out Ilja’s.
We go to commercial.
We’re back with a Wyatt Family video. Howdy asks Solo if he really thinks he stole their light, saying he only inherited what it represents. He says the lantern was never meant to be a weapon — it was carried through the darkness so the darkness wouldn’t carry them. It doesn’t belong in the hands of someone who misunderstands its purpose. Howdy says it will return to them, and they won’t rest until this is finished.
Joe and Corey shift focus to the women’s tag team division.
Backstage, Alexa is shown when Charlotte walks up. Alexa says last week was awful. She lost, and Nia and Lash got inside her head. She says she felt completely alone and asks Charlotte if she was really sick. Charlotte says she was. She asks Alexa if she realizes how many title opportunities she’s already passed up for the sake of their team. Alexa and Charlotte both ask each other if they truly have each other’s backs. Lash and Nia then approach Charlotte. Nia says Alexa always plays the victim and makes everyone feel sorry for her. Charlotte fires back and says she doesn’t trust either of them, and warns them they won’t like her response if they try to give her advice.
Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Kiana James & Giulia
James and Alexa start the match. Kiana shoves Alexa, Alexa fires back with a slap, then lands another when Kiana misses. Alexa follows with strikes and a dropkick, but Kiana cuts her off with a knee to the midsection and a suplex.
Charlotte tags in and locks on a waistlock. Kiana elbows out, then sends Charlotte into the corner, but Charlotte answers with an uppercut. Kiana throws a superkick, Charlotte blocks and hits a thrust kick.
Alexa tags back in and, with Charlotte’s help, kicks Kiana. Giulia tags in and trades shots with Alexa before dropping her with a dropkick. Giulia then throws Alexa by the hair, kicks her, and chokes her in the corner. Kiana tags in and keeps the pressure on with kicks.
Kiana drills Alexa with an elbow to the back of the head, then whips her hard into the corner. Giulia tags back in, stretches Alexa across the ropes, hits a dropkick to the back, and Kiana adds a boot from the apron. Giulia follows with an elbow drop for a near fall, then continues with kicks and headbutts.
Kiana tags back in and kicks Alexa, then knocks Charlotte off the apron with a forearm and hits a suplex on Alexa for a near fall. Kiana goes to pick Alexa up, but Alexa counters with a sunset flip for a near fall of her own. Kiana stops Alexa from reaching the corner, runs her into the turnbuckles, then follows with back handsprings into a shoulder in the corner. James adds a boot, and Giulia comes off the ropes with a missile dropkick for another near fall.
Giulia keeps the pressure on and scores another near fall. Kiana tags in as Giulia sends Alexa into the corner, but Giulia misses a shoulder. Alexa moves, Kiana spills to the floor, and when Kiana tries to stop the tag again, Alexa kicks her away and finally tags in Charlotte. Charlotte comes in hot with shoulder tackles and chops, then unloads with chops on both Kiana and Giulia.
Charlotte hits a walkover clothesline, then follows with a Flair Flip and kicks to both Giulia and Kiana. She goes to the top and lands a crossbody for a near fall. Charlotte runs into a boot, answers with a boot of her own, then walks over both opponents. She tries to go up again, but Giulia stops the moonsault attempt and Kiana pulls Charlotte down. Kiana plants her with a spinebuster, Giulia tags in, and connects with a knee for a near fall.
Alexa sends Kiana to the floor, but Kiana yanks Alexa out with her. Back in the ring, Giulia trades strikes with Charlotte. Charlotte avoids a round kick, lands a forearm, eats one in return, then fires back with a boot. James tags in and drops Charlotte with a knee. Alexa tags in and hits Sister Abigail for the three count.
Winners: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair
After the match, Nia Jax attacks Giulia and drives her into the apron. Lash Legend and Nia then go after Charlotte, with Nia sending Charlotte shoulder-first into the ring post. Giulia tries to go after Nia, but Kiana pulls her back and holds her off.
We go to commercial.
Backstage, Solo Sikoa speaks to Bo. He says Bo is right — it’s more than just a lantern. He says he can see the fireflies across the world, and now they belong to him. He tells Bo that their legacy is in his hands. If they want the lantern back, they can put up the tag titles. Solo says he’ll take good care of it, and says Bo will be with him when he takes out Damian Priest and brings the WWE title back to the family.
Cody Rhodes then makes his way to the ring.
