Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s weekly review of "WWE SmackDown," the show that was taped earlier today in Germany and that featured an actual, legitimate Undisputed WWE title change! Yeah, if you think we don't have thoughts about Drew McIntyre dethroning Cody Rhodes in 3 Stages of Hell, you're out of your mind! And that's not even the only thing that happened on "SmackDown" while we can't possibly have an opinion about every single thing that happened on a three-hour show, we most certainly can have one about Alexa Bliss vs. Giulia, Trick Williams vs. ReyFenix, Carmelo Hayes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, and more!
If you missed the episode, you can always catch up by checking out our "SmackDown" results page. If you're looking for the opinions and analysis of the WINC staff, this is the place for you. Here are three things we hated and three things we loved about the 1/9/26 episode of "WWE SmackDown!"
It was about time that Trick Williams got the call-up from "WWE NXT," and he's already showing why he's been ready for quite some time now. The powers that be in "NXT" seemingly like to have their developmental talent work both heel and babyface during their time at the WWE Performance Center, which Williams did, and thatdoes make sense, but he really shines as a heel. I love the decision to keep him heel on "SmackDown," as it's already really working for him.
Tonight, he made the bold choice to interrupt Randy Orton in front of an international crowd, who are known to love "The Viper" even more than a domestic crowd. It was slightly surprising, as they didn't really start to boo Williams until he got on the microphone and announced that a new star had arrived. They even popped big for his entrance with "Whoop that Trick!" chants, which was comforting to know, as a big Williams fan, that an international crowd knows who he is. It's cool that they have enough faith to bring a newcomer (to the main roster, at least) like Williams on the European tour.
Williams was able to hang with Orton on the mic, and "The Viper" put him over big. He straight up called Williams a star with the gift of gab and said he oozes confidence, though, he wasn't sure if he had the brains, since he was interrupting him, of all people. Williams shot back with an excellent line that he traveled the entire way to Berlin to put Orton on notice, which got an audible "DAAAAMN" from me.
Of course, things broke down and Williams knocked the mic out of Orton's hand and they started to brawl and Orton hit the draping DDT, but was taken out by The Miz before he could hit the RKO on Williams. That's because Williams had a match against Rey Fenix to kick off his European tour. I was glad to see him face a legitimate opponent (sorry, Miz) on his first-ever "SmackDown" match, and even better, he got the victory. While some may not like the fact he won with a sneaky roll-up, I didn't mind it at all. it further established him as a heel, while also keeping Fenix protected, and both things really needed to happen here.
It's easy to not have faith in "NXT" call-ups these days (see: Giulia and previously, Carmelo Hayes), but the way Williams is being handled already, being thrown in the mix with Orton this week, and Sami Zayn last week, I have a lot of confidence. The blue brand has officially entered the "Whoop That" era, and I'm excited to see what's next.
Written by DaisyRuth
Giulia had her first title defense since winning the title for the second time last week when she faced Alexa Bliss tonight. Kiana James repeatedly got involved as did Lash Legend to help Giulia retain. While Giulia is a heel (or at least has heel tendencies), this just undermines her as a wrestler. Giulia was one of the best wrestlers in the world when she came to WWE and was a highly coveted free agent. She can win convincingly on her own. Let's be honest, the only reason James is associated with Giulia is because they want her to speak for the champion.
During Giulia's first title reign, she held the title for 133 days. In that time, she successfully defended her title just two times. She lost the title to Chelsea Green in her third title defense. Her second title run isn't off to a great start. The women's U.S. title has lost its luster in the short time it's been around. Having a talent like Giulia win like this doesn't help the title's credibility and it certainly doesn't help Giulia.
Giulia was a giant star coming into WWE. While she was the NXT Women's Champion for just over two months, she hasn't even scratched the surface of her potential. Someone of her caliber should be elevating the U.S. Championship to make it meaningful and coveted. Her talent alone could be the title on par with the Women's Championship. WWE can't fumble someone like Giulia and yet, they seem to be trying their best.
Written by Samantha Schipman
We've been spoiled over the past three United States Championship reigns. Aside from Ilja Dragunov's weird Tommaso Ciampa side quest, "WWE SmackDown's" US title has been the best-booked title in the company. Sports entertainment enjoyers worldwide have gotten out of their seats for Sami Zayn, Dragunov, and, now, Carmelo Hayes' electrifying weekly defenses against all array of opponents, and Friday was no different. Hayes hosted another match in his Open Challenge series in Berlin, and who better to answer the call than former United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura?
There was just no way this match was going to be bad. You'll hear "underrated" often associated with Nakamura's name, but that, unfortunately, very much is reality. Nakamura is absolutely phenomenal in that ring. He has the energy, aggression, and passion of a man half his age, and he combines that thrilling personality with experience and sheer aura only obtained through decades in between the ropes. He certainly brought the fight to Hayes tonight with his targeted shots at Hayes' legs, an essential part in the champion's high-flying moveset. Judging from the handshake at the end of the match and his recent Survivor Series weekend work with Sami Zayn, I'm pretty sure Nakamura is still a babyface, but golly, did he play the heel well tonight.
If Hayes wasn't a convincing babyface before, Nakamura's heelish moves catapulted him into that spot. While babyfaces can come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and storylines, an essential part of the babyface is crowd support. How better do you build crowd support than by having a veteran, a guy with so many years over his opponent, whittle down a scrappy, underdog champion, only for said champion to climb the ropes on practically one leg to, against all odds, land his iconic finisher? Hayes embodied the indomitable human spirit that works so well for babyfaces. Babyfaces are best and most approachable when they reflect our internal struggles. I'm sure all of us have felt like Hayes: beat down, with life punching at that one bruise, that one insecurity, over and over again. If Hayes can take nearly 20 minutes' worth of damage to his leg and still land Nothing but Net? That is a powerful performance, and that, combined with Hayes' overall ring presence and incredible athleticism, is what is making him such a good babyface to get behind.
Recently, the United States Championship has been a workhorse title that brings the best, most scrappy, resilient babyfaces to life. First, it was the beloved and chronically overlooked Zayn. Then, it was the tough-as-nails Dragunov. Now, it's Hayes, who clawed his way up from catering to gold. We're in the Him era now, and I love it.
Written by Angeline Phu
It's Wrestle Kingdom season, and given that show once again had some significant House of Torture presence, I am stuck in this cycle of joy-stealing comparison to the boring ... whatever the opposite of seasoning is ... that is the group led by EVIL. According to recent reports, he's considering his options outside of NJPW. And in a rare message to those who do the hiring at WWE, there is already an EVIL and House of Torture archetype performing each and every week: Solo Sikoa and MFT.
To make matters worse, I am quite the fan of Sikoa and what used to be the New Bloodline. But it turns out that may just be outside the ring, and that is very much an issue when it comes to an act in professional wrestling. This week's match with the Wyatt Sicks just continued to put that painful point into perspective. Both teams did a whole lot of staring in between some form of wrestling. But eventually MFT wiped out all of the foot-soldiers of the Sicks before decimating Uncle Howdy in the ring, Sikoa getting the pin long after the match had really been determined. So it was also a huge f*** you to the Wyatts, which is ... yeah it really stands for itself.
That win will surely fit into Sikoa's desire to pursue the Tag Team Championship held by the Sicks through Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy, which unfortunately means we are going to be subjected to another bout between the groups just with fewer members. Tama Tonga's interest in the United States Championship is not being explored further, nor is whatever it is Sikoa actually wants to accomplish. And the rest are just presented as voiceless avatars of the group, so there's not much to discern on that front either.
This match was 10 minutes of MFT essentially running through the Wyatt Sicks with no actual progression on any front. Nothing about that is fun, compelling, or in any way productive. MFT doesn't need building, it needs direction. The Wyatt Sicks certainly could do better than losing againin such a manner. The WWE Tag Team Championship most definitely needs to have better treatment than being the backdrop, last defended in a match ending in a no-contest in December, and further defended only five times in 183 days. The show could use a little better than 10 minutes of *gestures at everything*
As said, it's more annoying because I was personally interested in seeing Sikoa, the MFT, and the Wyatt Sicks succeed. But that hasn't been the case, the matches have failed to grip me in any way, and this week I hated everything that went down.
Written by Max Everett
AND NEW UNDISPUTED WWE CHAMPION!
Now look, I'm definitely biased considering that Drew McIntyre has become one of my favorite wrestlers on the entire WWE roster over the past couple of years. With that said, I still think that having him dethrone Rhodes as Undisputed WWE Champion was absolutely the right move. Not only was it a bit of a shock to see, but it also helps to garner McIntyre a ton of heat from the WWE fanbase and make him even more hated than he already is. It also sets up the continuation of the storyline between Rhodes and McIntyre, increasing the stakes between the two men now that McIntyre has taken yet another thing from Rhodes in his title.
The match itself was also super fun to watch, and if you ask me, one of the best that WWE has put out in quite some time. Right out of the gate, Rhodes and McIntyre wasted absolutely no time turning up the heat and kept it going the entire time with plenty of heart racing, fast paced, and engaging action. While it's awesome to see Jacob Fatu back, the manner in which he returned left something to be desired by going after McIntyre and Rhodes without much of a reason for doing so. It did damper things a little, but not so much so that it took away from the contest itself or the intensity that Rhodes and McIntyre kept going throughout it. It may not have been ideal, but it did lead to the right man in McIntyre coming out on top.
Written by Olivia Quinlan
Drew McIntyre took on Cody Rhodes in a highly anticipated Three Stages of Hell match on "WWE SmackDown," and while you wouldn't have been wrong to assume that McIntyre, after literal months of feuding with Rhodes, was finally going to go over tonight, I can't say that I condone the way it happened. After delivering surprisingly great matches, especially within a trite and drawn-out feud, McIntyre finally bested Rhodes by ... sauntering out of a steel cage, and into a world title reign. Oh yeah, and it was thanks to Jacob Fatu.
The streets are saying a part of Berlin was displeased by the finish of that match, and honestly? I don't blame them. Imagine sitting through this Three Stages of Hell match. Imagine watching Rhodes exude his technical excellence in the first, traditional match segment, only to be bested by a low blow. Imagine watching both men get gritty through their Falls Count Anywhere brawl, which took them backstage, through the crowd, and back to the ring. Imagine having your heart in your throat, your bottom on the edge of its seat, your eyes fixed on each man's every move as they enter the Steel Cage ... just to have your night be interrupted by Fatu raging against everything with a pulse. Just to watch McIntyre capitalize on the chaos, and face plant pathetically out onto the floor and into a world title reign. You're dead serious? For real?
Obviously, this finish is meant to draw even more heat to McIntyre, but, as Rhodes commented moments before the match, it's just lazy. What a way to undo all of the hard work and great wrestling that preceded this truly stupid, show-ending call. I know that McIntyre is on a sadistic quest to gather as much hatred online as possible, and I know that, by ranting about it, I'm playing into his game ... but would it have killed WWE to just give McIntyre one clean pin over Rhodes? If you take one moment away from rage baiting people, Drew, it won't kill you! On one hand, I can commend the commitment to the bit. On the other hand, burn the exit finish in Steel Cage matches entirely. Burn the match type, even. Just do Hell in a Cell.
Fatu also looked so stupid here. McIntyre is his main goal, but in his rage against Cody, he gave his biggest enemy exactly what he wanted. As the night ended in Berlin, Fatu was left staring at McIntyre with this dazed, "did I do that?" look. This is not the Fatu comeback we were looking for. This is not the McIntyre title win we were looking for.
Written by Angeline Phu
