WWE SmackDown Spoiler Results for January 16, 2026

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. Cody says things feel a little different tonight — and that’s okay. He admits the routine was starting to feel episodic: he’d come out, hit the mat three times, everyone would sing “Whoa,” he’d walk to the ring as champion, and ask, “What do you want to talk about?”

He says tonight, they’re talking about Drew McIntyre. Cody admits he never fully explained why his podcast is called what it is, or why he always asks that question. It was about making the crowd part of the conversation. But he says maybe he got too comfortable. Maybe he didn’t see the ways he could lose. Or maybe Drew really is that good.

Cody asks himself what Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan all have in common. They’re the only men to win the Royal Rumble back-to-back — and only one won it three times in a row. He says he’s standing in a city that means a lot to him, where he once wrestled for WhatCulture Pro Wrestling, and a city that deserves a WrestleMania. Drew claims there’s no rematch, so Cody says he’ll do it the old-fashioned way. Cody announces he is the first entrant in the Royal Rumble. He then asks again, “What do you want to talk about?” and brings up Jacob Fatu.

Cody says he saw something in Jacob Fatu — that Jacob understands what a “receipt” is. Cody says Jacob has the biggest one coming, and he can either come out to the ring to get it, or Cody will find him himself.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Matt Cardona. Cathy asks about his match with Trick Williams and his goal of winning the title. Matt says he was hoping to face his friend, but now he could end up facing Drew instead. He points out that Drew’s first WWE match was against him, and says they go way back. He talks about having to rediscover himself, just like Cody and Drew did. Cardona admits he hasn’t won a World Title yet, but says that’s his goal — and he’s back to become champion.

Qualifier for the SNME Fatal 4-Way to become #1 Contender for the WWE Championship: Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams

They lock up and quickly hit a stalemate. Trick pie-faces Matt, and Matt responds by driving Trick into the turnbuckles. Matt fires off punches, Trick answers with another pie-face. Matt throws punches and forearms, but Trick cuts him off with a knee and a slam.

Trick follows with a shoulder tackle, then a forearm to the back, and pie-faces Matt again. Matt fights back with a dropkick and a flatliner, then clotheslines Trick over the top rope to the floor. Matt keeps the pressure on with a dropkick through the ropes, then another dropkick off the apron.

Matt rolls Trick back inside, but Trick bails right back out. Matt grabs him by the hair, but Trick trips him and drags him to the floor. Trick then sends Matt into the barricade and drops him face-first onto the apron with a flapjack. Back in the corner, Trick follows with punches and chops.

Trick hits a flapjack and chokes Matt across the ropes, then continues choking him in the corner. Trick follows with an Irish whip and a neckbreaker, then keeps control with a side headlock. Matt fights back with punches, but Trick drops him with a jumping side kick for a near fall. Trick lands more shots and locks in a reverse chinlock.

Matt breaks free with a jawbreaker. Trick misses a bicycle kick, they trade kicks, and Matt blocks one to hit a cradle belly-to-back suplex. Matt unloads with forearms in the corner and sets up for the Woo Woo Woo Boot. He connects with a Zig Zag for a near fall.

Matt looks for a Tiger Driver, but Trick back body drops him. Matt rolls through into a sunset flip, sends Trick into the turnbuckle, and again looks for the Woo Woo Woo Boot. Trick escapes to the floor, but Matt catches him with a dropkick through the ropes.

Trick pulls Matt back into the ring and hits a cyclone kick for a near fall. Trick goes for a uranage, but Matt counters with a DDT. Matt misses the Rough Ryder, then lands a knee. Trick fires back with a Pounce, followed by a jumping knee for the three count.

Winner: Trick Williams

After the match, Kit Wilson heads to the ring and stops to stare down Trick before stepping inside. Kit then attacks Matt, punching him and sending him into the ring steps. He struts around the ring afterward.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Damian Priest about his match tonight.

Priest says everyone’s been asking him about Drew all day, but tonight is about Solo. He says facing Solo isn’t the issue — the real question is whether it’ll be one-on-one. He brings up winning Money in the Bank in London and says if he had to go one against everyone then, he’ll do it again tonight. He’ll do whatever it takes to get back to Drew.

We go to commercial.

We return with Kit in the ring saying everyone knows he’s right — there’s a problem, and he’s the solution. He says people need reassurance, they need leadership, and they need him.

Jacob Fatu suddenly appears behind Kit. While Kit is busy gyrating, he turns around and eats a superkick. Fatu follows with a back senton and a double jump moonsault. Kit quickly rolls out as Fatu stalks the ring. Fatu grabs a mic and calls out Cody, telling him if he has something to say about him, bring his “punk ass” out right now.

Cody’s music hits and he heads to the ring. Cody and Fatu immediately start trading punches. Fatu drives Cody into the corner with shoulders, Cody fires back with punches, and chaos breaks out. Security floods the ring trying to separate them. Nick Aldis gets between them and warns both men, but Cody breaks free and charges at Fatu again.

We go to commercial.

We’re back, and it’s announced that Cody Rhodes will face Jacob Fatu next week at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Qualifier for the SNME Fatal 4-Way to become #1 Contender for the WWE Championship: Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa

They lock up and Solo grabs a side headlock. Solo levels Priest with a shoulder tackle that sends him into the ropes, but Priest answers right back with a shoulder tackle of his own. Solo fires off headbutts and punches. Priest responds with a leaping back elbow, then a kick, and looks for Razor’s Edge — but Solo blocks it and punches him down.

Priest snaps off a superkick and Solo rolls to the floor. Priest charges for a running shoulder, but the unpainted warriors step in and stop him. Priest misses a kick and gets tangled in the ropes. Solo knocks Priest to the floor, then distracts the referee while Tama and Mateo jump Priest on the outside. Solo follows by sending Priest into the announce table. Solo sends Priest into the announce table, but Priest answers back with a flatliner onto the table. Priest follows with a forearm, then misses a rebound clothesline. Solo hits a Samoan Drop for a near fall.

Solo unloads with punches in the corner and connects with a running hip attack, then hits another one. He goes for a third, but Priest pops up and catches him with a spinning heel kick. Both men get back to their feet and charge at each other, trading punches in the middle of the ring. Priest boxes Solo’s ears and lands a kick, then a rolling elbow. Solo fires back with a headbutt. Priest hits a superkick, Solo answers with one of his own. Priest lands two round kicks and a flying punch, then connects with an elbow in the corner and a leaping flatliner for a near fall.

Talla crotches Priest on the turnbuckle while the referee is distracted. The official only sees Priest hurt afterward and sends Talla to the back. Priest escapes a Super Samoan Drop and hits Razor’s Edge for a near fall. Priest pulls the straps down and sets up for South of Heaven, but Tama jumps on the apron to distract the referee. Loa distracts Priest. Solo misses a Samoan Spike, then lands a uranage. Solo follows with a frog splash for another near fall. A blipvert hits and the lights go out.

When the lights come back on, Solo and Priest are both down while the Wyatts stand on the announce table behind the Solo Squad. Chaos breaks out as they brawl into the crowd. Howdy throws Mateo into security, but Solo fights back and sends Howdy into the announce table to keep control of the lantern. Back in the ring, Priest grabs Solo and plants him with South of Heaven for the three count.

Winner: Damian Priest