Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s live coverage for "WWE SmackDown" on January 16, 2026, coming to you from the OVO Arena Wembley in London, England!
Drew McIntyre shocked the world last week when he dethroned Cody Rhodes as Undisputed WWE Champion in a Three Stages of Hell Match thanks to interference from a returning Jacob Fatu who attacked both men during the Steel Cage portion of the match. Following such, McIntyre will be making an appearance on tonight's show in front of his home United Kingdom crowd with something on his mind to share.
Speaking of McIntyre and the Undisputed WWE Championship, "SmackDown" General Manager Nick Aldis announce a series of four Undisputed WWE Championship Number One Contenders Qualifiers last Friday to determine who would advance to a Four-Way Match at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event to determine McIntyre's first challenger. Tonight will see all four qualifiers take place, as Randy Orton collides with The Miz while Damian Priest goes head-to-head with MFT leader Solo Sikoa. Sami Zayn will also be colliding with Ilja Dragunov, and Trick Williams will be facing Matt Cardona.
Former WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair will be joining forces with one another once again tonight to take on reigning Women's United States Champion Giulia and her ally Kiana James. Bliss unsuccessfully challenged Giulia for her championship during last Friday's edition of the show, with Flair being absent from ringside due to an unspecified illness.
Additionally, United States Champion Carmelo Hayes will be hosting another US Open Challenge after successful defenses against Johnny Gargano and Shinsuke Nakamura on the January 2 and 9 episodes of "SmackDown" respectively.
We are live! Corey Graves and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video recapping the Undisputed WWE Championship Three Stages of Hell Match between Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes last Friday.
McIntyre then makes his way to the ring in grand fashion, being played out by bagpipe performers.
McIntyre says he prayed to be Undisputed WWE Champion and it happened. He says he knows it's been a rough few years in the United Kingdom, but if anyone can bring together the United Kingdom, it's him. He tells everyone from Europe who's messaged him about his win "screw you", then questions where they were when he was fired from WWE. He says he would like to thank the only person who ever really believed he could become World Champion once again, and that's himself.
McIntyre says he needs to address one person: Cody Rhodes. He says he knows it cuts Rhodes like a knife every time he calls Rhodes former Undisputed WWE Champion, then says he knows Rhodes' team is trying to figure out a way to get a rematch. He reveals he had a clause added to their Undisputed WWE Championship Three Stages of Hell Match, and that's Rhodes being unable to challenge him for the title in a rematch.
Randy Orton's music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. McIntyre asks Orton if he's here to congratulate him, and Orton says McIntyre and the fans know that they don't like each other. He says he's not in the ring to congratulate McIntyre, then reminds McIntyre he's beaten him and will do so again. He tells Orton that he's here to RKO him.
Jacob Fatu's music hits and he makes his way out. Fatu lands a right hand on McIntyre and sends him crashing into the announce desk, but McIntyre sends Fatu crashing into the ring post face first. Fatu then chases McIntyre through the crowd. The Miz then sneaks up behind Orton and delivers a Skull Crushing Finale to him.
Back from the break, the bell has rung and The Miz lands a right hand on Orton's spine. He sends Orton crashing into the announce desk spine first, then dumps Orton back in the ring and delivers a stomp on him.
Orton fires off right hands on Miz, then runs him over with a clothesline and follows it up with a scoop powerslam. Orton then sends Miz crashing on top of the announce desk spine first three times and dumps him back in the ring before delivering a hanging DDT to Orton. The Miz intercepts Orton with a Skull Crushing Finale and pins him, but Orton kicks out and The Miz rolls him up. Orton kicks out and connects with an RKO on The Miz for the win.
Winner: Randy Orton
We then head backstage, where Drew McIntyre runs into Ilja Dragunov and a brief verbal confrontation between the two men ensues.
We then head backstage, where Alexa Bliss voices her frustrations with Charlotte Flair being absent from her Women's United States Championship match against Giulia. Flair insists that she was incredibly sick as she said, but after Bliss leaves, Nia Jax and Lash Legend confront Flair.
Back at ringside, Giulia and Kiana James make their way to the ring. Bliss and Flair follow.
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