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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JANUARY 30, 2026
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA AT KING ABDULLAH FINANCIAL DISTRICT
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
Attendance: There was no definitive attendance announced heading into the show.
[HOUR ONE]
– Michael Cole welcomed the viewing audience to Riyadh, Saudia Arabia. Gunther, A.J. Styles, Drew McIntyre, and Sami Zayn were shown arriving at the arena prior to the show. A recap aired of last Saturday’s Saturday Night’s Main Event action, highlighted by Sami Zayn winning a Fatal Four-way match to become the number one contender to the WWE Championship and earning a title shot at tomorrow’s Royal Rumble event. Cole mentioned that over 18,000 spectators were expected but that it would be a late-arriving crowd as per usual in Riyadh.
– Cody Rhodes made his entrance wearing a nice shirt, pants, and tie, but no jacket. He probably felt naked. Language barriers be damned, the crowd managed to break out their karaoke voices. Cody said he half-expected to come out tonight trading punches with Jacob Fatu. He questioned where Drew McIntyre was tonight. He mentioned that if he managed to win the Royal Rumble for the third time (crowd booed) it would make all the sense in the world for him to challenge McIntyre for the WWE Championship. But Cody indicated that he likes to take the road less traveled and said that he and C.M. Punk have to “do this eventually bud.” Cody claimed that he has something going for him that no one else has going into the Rumble since he won it twice. Cue Randy Orton.
After the Kingdom of Karaoke settled down, Orton told the crowd that he loved them. Then he put his hand on Cody’s shoulder and acknowledged that a desperate Cody Rhodes was dangerous. Then he reminded his friend that nothing was more dangerous that a Viper chasing his 15th championship. Orton would have no hesitation in throwing Cody over the top rope during the Rumble. He reminded Cody that he also won the Rumble twice. Cue Jey Uso.
Uso wasted no time running to the ring from the stage area (not through the crowd). Uso ran it back for the people in attendance. He said that he was going to run it back-to-back and win the Rumble again, then go on to win the championship at Wrestlemania for the second year in a row. Cue Sami Zayn.
A fired up Zayn walked to the ring amid a chorus of cheers. He greeted the crowd in their native Arabic tongue, which drew their approval. Zayn said that three stories would come to a head tomorrow with them being:
- Zayn chasing a world championship
- Zayn having never beaten Drew McIntyre
- Zayn having never lost a match in Saudi Arabia
Zayn said he plans on walking out of the Royal Rumble event as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Cue Paul Heyman.
Heyman came out with The Vision members of Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, and Austin Theory. Heyman said when he looked in the ring he saw four starts but no “vision” at all. There is no vision of Sami Zayn winning tomorrow and there is no vision of any of the other three winning the Rumble because by the Vision’s decree tomorrow night would be Bron Breakker’s night. Orton pleaded with Heyman to shut up. He dared the Vision members to take their heads out of Heyman’s ass and walk to the ring to fight. Cue Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis, who came out on stage and made an 8-man tag team match for tonight’s main event. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: That was nearly 30 minutes to make tonight’s main event. One noteworthy item was that Orton said he had no qualms about eliminating Cody in the Rumble, which is not a shocker. The more noteworthy point was that Zayn has never lost a match in Saudi Arabia. That could very well happen at the Rumble event. The Vision still claim to be unified in wanting Breakker to win the Rumble, but we will see if that holds true. I suspect it won’t.)
The United States Champion Carmelo Hayes entered for this week’s opening contest and his latest open challenge. Someone apparently forgot to turn on arena karaoke for him. His opponent was Rey Fenix who was wearing some cool rainbow-colored light up gloves.
(1) CARMELO HAYES (c) vs. REY FENIX – United States Championship Open Challenge
Cole said that this was the first time Hayes and Fenix have had a one-on-one match. Fenix gained control early with a corkscrew plancha over the top rope to the floor. They went to a picture-in-picture break less than a minute into the match [c]
Fenix was still in control as he rolled Hayes around the ring in a cradle until settling to earn a two-count. Hayes ducked a springboard elbow and hit a springboard clothesline of his own. Hayes off the second rope with a leaping DDT and a cover for a nearfall. They traded pinning predicament counters after Hayes missed a First 48 attempt. Fenix went for an MMB but Hayes countered into a roll-up for another two-count. They traded superkicks that knocked each other to the mat. Hayes was up first and chopped Fenix back down. They took each other back to the mat with a double clothesline. [c]
Fenix executed a perfect fire stomp followed by a springboard moonsault for the one…two…Hayes kicked out again. Hayes with a La Mistica out of nowhere that almost won him the match, but not quite. Hayes with a springboard DDT again that garnered another two-count. Hayes called for his finisher and went to the top rope. Fenix moved and hit a DDT of his own and a nearfall in a match littered with them. Hayes caught Fenix with the First 48 codebreaker and urgently went up and hit the Nothing But Net legdrop for the pin and the win.
WINNER: Carmelo Hayes by pinfall in 14:00. Carmelo Hayes retained the U.S. title.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Another very good match in a long series of U.S. title open challenges. Fenix has always been special and oozes with the “it factor.” This match was defined by the number of nearfalls that occurred throughout, which worked because of the urgency both wrestlers showed to try to win. I will continue to advocate for more one-counts early in a match, but this was still excellent. )
– The Miz told Ilja Dragunov in the back that Carmelo Hayes actually asked him to interfere in their match last week. Dragunov introduced himself to Miz and shook his hand really hard as Miz grimaced. Dragunov wouldn’t let go and told Miz that tonight his pain would entertain. [c]
– They showed highlights of the Pat McAfee show where Brock Lesnar called in to declare that he would be in the Royal Rumble. R-Truth was in the back with Nick Aldis. Truth told Aldis that this wasn’t his first time handling balls. Damian Priest walked up and Aldis told him that he was able to get him into the Rumble after last Saturday’s match. Priest drew his number and didn’t look happy. Truth said, “my bad, you can go again.” Aldis wouldn’t let him. Priest said it just meant more time for him to throw people out.
– Cathy Kelley talked to Drew McIntyre outside the arena. McIntyre said that Sami Zayn will always put his stupid foot in his stupid mouth like he did tonight by talking himself into a match the night before the biggest match of his career. McIntyre speculated whether Zayn would have it in him to do whatever it takes to win at the Rumble. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
– The Women’s Tag Team Champions Rhea Ripley and Io Sky told Cathy Kelley that no matter what happens in the Rumble they will still be friends. Kiana James and Giulia walked up and disagreed. James said it wouldn’t come down to the two of them in the Rumble anyway. Lash Legend and Nia Jax walked up and said that none of them stand a chance and that they want the winners of the others’ tag title match. Cole claimed that the tag team division has never been hotter.
– Charlotte Flair made a grand entrance fit for a queen. Her friend and partner Alexa Bliss came out to meet her halfway up the aisle. Cole mentioned that they are both in the Rumble tomorrow night and highlighted that Flair is the only woman who’s won two Rumbles. Bliss held the ropes for Flair. Flair said she was going to win the Rumble and that her best friend Lexi would have her back. Bliss said she had the same plan but that she would be the winner. Flair said that she’s won twice so the odds were in her favor. Bliss said that she had the first women’s match in the Middle East and that she would win. Flair wondered if Bliss thought she’d help her win. Bliss said that she didn’t need her help and then held her hand as she reminded Flair that not everything is about her. The questioned whether they would toss each other over the top rope. Cue Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Roxanne Perez of the Judgment Day.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Bad acting by Flair and Bliss, but especially Flair. I hate bad acting.)
Morgan laughed at Bliss and Flair and said that one of them would win instead. Flair invited them to come down to the ring. The heels teased that they would by walking halfway down and then stopped. Morgan said that wouldn’t happen because they are getting ready for the Rumble. Nick Aldis came out and made a tag team match anyway by saying his rule is that “anyone who steps out onto this stage has volunteered to step in the ring.”
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Great rule by Aldis. I love great rules.)
(2) ALEXA BLISS & CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. LIV MORGAN & ROXANNE PEREZ (w/Raquel Rodriguez)
Flair and Perez started things off. Flair laughed off a slap from Perez so she tagged in Morgan. Perez distracted Flair and Morgan hit her from behind. Cole mentioned that Morgan and Natalya have been in every Rumble match so far and tomorrow would be the ninth for Morgan. (Natalya has not yet been announced as an entrant). Bliss tagged in and Perez attack her with a flurry of horrible looking punches. Perez stomped Bliss in the corner until referee Charles Robinson broke it up, which precipitated a Morgan sneak attack. Bliss took down Morgan with a dropkick but Rodriguez yanked her down, allowing Morgan to regain control and cover for a two-count.
Perez tagged in and covered Bliss for another two-count. Bliss escaped and hit a basement dropkick but was unable to make the semi-hot tag as Perez cut her off. Perez tagged out and the heels double-teamed Bliss with stomps in the corner as they went to a split-screen. [c]
Morgan was still isolating Bliss from her corner. Bliss and Morgan did the exact same “roll around in a cradle” spot that happened in the previous match. Bliss was able to escape and make the tag. Flair hit a cross-body off the top on her opponents then welcomed them to Flair’s chop house. Flair kept dominating. Perez was cut open at some point and had blood smeared all over her face. Flair hit a moonsault on both women and covered Morgan for a nearfall. Flair tagged in Bliss who came in and covered Morgan for another two-count. The heels hit a double-team codebreaker into a side Russian leg sweep.
Flair broke up the cover and the match broke down. Rodriquez got up on the apron to distract Flair which allowed Morgan to chop block her. Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer showed up and yanked Rodriguez off the apron. Vaquer with a superkick on Rodriguez. Perez yelled down at Vaquer but when she turned around she ate a Sister Abigail from Bliss who covered for the one…two…three.
WINNER: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair by pinfall in 13:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: It was an okay match. Perez’s flurry of punches where she acts like an angry baby needs to end. It looks absurd.)
– Jordynne Grace told Cathey Kelley that she always bets on herself. She said she would win the Rumble and go on to beat Jade Cargill. Jade attacked her from behind and they brawled until officials broke it up.
– Fraxiom entered for the next match. [c]
Prior to the match, Nick Aldis told Candice LeRae that she was barred from ringside. He also said that if Axiom wins tonight that they had to give him his mask back.
(3) AXIOM (w/Nathan Frazer) vs. JOHNNY GARGANO
At the outset of the match, Cole mentioned that Axiom was bullied as a kid and that he wears a mask because he wants to be anonymous and fight the good fight for others. Well okay then. Cole said that Gargano doesn’t have a partner anymore. Gargano took Axiom to his knees with a chop, then gave him another in the corner. Axiom lured him to another corner so he could surprise him with a head-scissors. Axiom leveled Gargano with a chop of his own. Gargano covered Axiom from a test-of-strength position for a two-count. Gargano with a trademark dive through the ropes to knock Axiom down on the floor. Gargano looked lovingly at the mask. [c]
They traded blows. Gargano hit a step-up enziguri but Axiom responded with a Spanish Fly and a cover for a two-count. Axiom with a suplex that forced Gargano to retreat to the floor, which wasn’t a safe place because Axiom hit a pretty moonsault onto him. Back in the ring he followed up with a missile dropkick that earned him another nearfall. Gargano responded with a superkick and a driver for a two-count of his own. Axiom escaped a follow-up and hit a spinning neckbreaker/superplex. Gargano apparently wasn’t affected at all though because he dropped Axiom on the back of his neck and covered again for a two-count.
Axiom with another Spanish Fly. He took time to pick up the mask in the corner, which cost him because he ran into a Gargano superkick. Gargano rolled him up for a two-count. Gargano ripped off Axiom’s mask and gloated to Frazer. However, Axiom put on the old one and when Gargano turned around, Axiom nailed him with the Golden Ratio flying kick and covered for the win. Cole said that Gargano’s downward spiral continues.
WINNER: Axion by pinfall in 11:00. Axiom wins back his mask that he was already wearing.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Axiom’s backstory was…interesting. At least they are trying to give a lesser-developed character a story. I hated how Axiom hit the spinning superplex into a neckbreaker maneuver that Gargano didn’t sell at all. Clever ending to the match though.)
– Carmelo Hayes talked to Dragunov who wasn’t sure whether to believe that Hayes wasn’t involved with Miz’s interference last week. Dragunov said that after he defeats Miz tonight he expects a rematch with Hayes. [c]
– Trick Williams was interviewed by Cathy Kelley. First he told the cameraman to pan down to see his “lemon pepper steppers.” He said that everyone should subscribe to his website, “www.worldwidewillie.com” because everywhere he goes he puts on a show.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: A babyface promo from a heel.)
[HOUR THREE]
– A.J. Styles entered for what could be his last appearance on Smackdown as an active WWE competitor. He welcomed Riyadh to the house that A.J. Styles built (not to be confused with KAFT, which is the house that Muhammad Bin Salman just built a few weeks ago). Styles ran down how after he defeats Gunther he would still get to wrestle one more time again grapplers like Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and C.M. Punk. Gunther appeared at the announce desk in nice clothes and a sport coat saying “wrong, wrong.” Gunther stood on the desk and said that nothing Styles said was going to happen because he made a severe mistake that would cost him his career. He said he would end his career the same way he did to his little buddy John Cena, by making him tap out.
Styles reminded Gunther that he also tapped out like a little bitch (referring to his match again Styles a couple weeks ago). Gunther teased that he was going to get in the ring but left through the crowd instead. Cole speculated about whether tomorrow would be it for the career of A.J. Styles.
– Tama Tonga asked Shinsuke Nakamura in the back what happened to him because Nakamura used to be the man. He said that maybe they should have a Shinsuke Sayonara tour. Nakamura said he needed to give Tama a gift so he’d show him what strong style is next week in the ring.
– The Miz entered for the next match. [c]
– Ilja Dragunov entered. Miz did a good job using his facial expressions to show that he knew he was in for a beating.
(4) ILJA DRAGUNOV vs. THE MIZ
Cole pointed out a crazy statistic in that tomorrow would be Miz’s 17th Rumble. Miz chopped Dragunov in the corner and it invigorated Dragunov. He clapped as Miz looks confused. After running the ropes a few times, Dragunov brought Miz to his knees with a chop, then kicked him to the floor. Dragunov attempted to superplex Miz from the apron back into the ring but Mix countered and dropped Dragunov. He then tossed him to the floor as Wade Barrett pointed out that if this had been the Rumble he would be eliminated. [c]
Miz was still in control after the break, hitting a back body drop followed by his neckbreaker combo. Dragunov fired up and went for a German Suplex, but Miz escaped with a standing switch. Dragunov hit the Constantine special clothesline and covered for a two-count. Dragunov hit two German suplexes without letting go as Miz desperately reached for the ropes. Miz tried to elbow his way out of it but Dragunov adjusted with a back suplex. Back on their feet Miz hit his pendulum DDT and covered for a nearfall. Miz leaped off the top but Dragunov caught him with the Torpedo Moscow. He hit the H-bomb and covered for the one…two…three.
WINNER: Ilja Dragunov via pinfall in 13:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Another entertaining match from the intense Dragunov. Like him or hate him, Miz is still a credible foil)
– In a pre-tape, Solo Sikoa bragged about taking Uncle Howdy’s lantern and hit tag team gold. Solo said that the tag titles were for his family. He said that the job wasn’t done until he wins the Rumble and brings back the…the video was cut off by Bo Dallas sitting with the Wyatts in a pre-tape of their own. Dallas said that the lantern and tag titles would come back to them and that the fireflies would highlight their insecurities. He finished by saying that their greed would be their demise.
– The Vision entered for the main event. [c]
Jey Uso was in the ring when they returned from the break. Orton came out next, followed by Zayn. The heels attacked when Zayn hit the ring. Rhodes’s music played and he ran down to join the fracas, still wearing his ring jacket. The babyfaces cleared the ring. Zayn and Uso did their old handshake and hit stereo dives onto the floor as they went to a split screen. [c]
(7) CODY RHODES, RANDY ORTON, JEY USO, SAMI ZAYN vs. BRON BREAKKER, BRONSON REED, LOGAN PAUL, AUSTIN THEORY (w/Paul Heyman)
The babyfaces made quick tags as they surprisingly controlled Breakker. Cody wanted to tag in Orton but took too much time. Breakker escaped and ran the ropes at high speed, ending in a clothesline that turned Cody inside out. Breakker tagged in Reed and they dropped Cody back down with a double shoulder block. Reed covered but Rhodes kicked out at two. Theory tagged in and pummeled Rhodes through the ropes, to the point that the referee had to pull him off. Reed tagged back in to continue the beatdown on Cody. Logan Paul tagged in so he could join in on the fun with a gut-wrench suplex on Cody. Breakker was back in to keep cutting Cody off from making the tag with a big suplex. Cody was in the heel corner and tried swinging on all of them, but to no avail as Cody was cowering on the barricade as they went to a commercial. [c]
Cody was still being dominated when they returned from the break. Breakker cut him off one more time. Bronson Reed tagged in and knocked Jey and Zayn off the apron so Cody couldn’t make the tag. Cody finally made the hot tag to Orton, who entered for the first time. Orton was on fire with his trademark powerslam and draping DDT on Theory. Orton hit an RKO “outta nowhere” on Theory but Paul broke up the cover. It turned into chaos with everyone hitting their finishers. Zayn hit a tornado DDT on Reed and went for the Helluva kick. But Drew McIntyre showed up at ringside and pulled him to the floor. The referee called for the bell.
WINNER: No contest in about 15:00.
After the match, Jacob Fatu’s music played but instead of entering from the stage he attacked McIntyre from behind in the ring. He sent McIntyre to the floor and then Cody dove onto Fatu on the floor. McIntyre wanted to hit a Claymore on Cody while Cody’s head was laying on the bottom rope. But Zayn nailed McIntyre with a Helluva kick instead. Zayn went to pick up the WWE title but Cody grabbed it at the same time. As they looked at each other, Breakker speared them both as they went off the air.
(Corbridge’s Special Note: Outside of PW Torch, I’m currently running an indie comic project on Kickstarter called BadWill. It’s a character-driven comedy-drama about a thrift store that sells items donated from failed relationships—imagine Goodwill, but the opposite. The campaign runs until February 14 and any support will directly affect the future of the series. For anyone curious, the project is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ericcorbridge/badwill-issue-1-a-comedy-drama-comic)
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