WWE SmackDown Results & Highlights 16-jan-2026: Cody Rhodes declares for Royal Rumble, New Champion Drew McIntyre appears, qualifying matches and more

WWE Friday Night SmackDown took place at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England this week. The show saw new WWE Champion Drew McIntyre appear, Cody Rhodes, declaring himself for the Royal Rumble, and brawling with Jacob Fatu, and four qualifying matches to determine contenders for the Fatal 4-Way match at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event to challenge McIntyre for his title at the Royal Rumble.

The show opened with the arrival of the new Undisputed WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre. He spoke about his struggles over the last few years before turning in the crowd. Randy Orton came out next to call his shot at the title and promised to take him down. Jacob Fatu came our next to brawl with McIntyre. Amidst the chaos, The Miz snuck on Orton and delivered a Skull Crushing Finale.

Randy Orton vs The Miz

The match began right after Miz took down Randy Orton. The duo put up an excellent bout that ended with Orton avoiding a finisher and roll up from The Miz and finishing him off with RKO. With his victory, The Viper advanced to the Fatal 4-Way No.1 Contender’s match for the Undisputed WWE title.

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs Kiana James & Giulia

The dynamic duo of Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss were back in action together on SmackDown this week. They worked well and took down the opposition, Kiana James and Giulia, with Bliss hitting the Sister Abigail DDT on James to pick up the win.

Matt Cardona vs Trick Williams

The returning Matt Cardona squared off against Trick Williams in the second No.1 contender's qualifier match of the night. Following a captivating match, it was Trick Willy who countered Cardona's Rough Ryder and hit a Pounce followed by a knee to seal the win and advance to the Fatal 4-Way match.

Damian Priest vs Solo Sikoa

The third qualifier match saw Damian Priest lock horns with Solo Sikoa. He was backed by the MFTs while Priest fought valiantly. However, in the final moments, the lights went off, and when they came back on, The Wyatt Sicks appeared and brawled with the MFTs through the crowd. Amidst the chaos, Sikoa was planted by Priest with a South of Haven chokeslam to seal the victory.

US Title Open Challenge

Carmelo Hayes hosted yet another open challenge for the WWE United States title, which was answered by TNA's Leon Slater. A back-and-forth and exhilarating contest saw the end when Slater attempted a cutter and suplex, only for Hayes to counter with his uppercutter to pin him and retain his title.

Jordynne Grace vs Chelsea Green

It was a one-sided contest as the newest star of SmackDown, Jordynne Grace, dominated Chelsea Green. The match ended with Green missing a kick attempt and Grace hitting a Direct Effect to cover Green for the pinfall.

Sami Zayn vs Ilja Dragunov

Sami Zayn and Ilja Dragunov battled in the last match of the night which was the fourth qualifier match. The duo produced a stellar showdown that led to the crowd erupting in huge cheers. Both men refused to give up and kept fighting. The contest came to a close when Zayn hit an exploder and followed it up with a Helluva Kick on Dragunov to pick up the win. However, after the match, he was attacked by Trick Williams.

Also read: Billy Gunn and Paula Heaney-Sopp combined net worth in 2025: AEW role, WWE history, and overall earnings


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