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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
FEBRUARY 6, 2026
CHARLOTTE, N.C. AT SPECTRUM CENTER
AIRED ON DELAY ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Corey Graves
Attendance: WrestleTix reports as of today 8,652 tickets were distributed so far. The arena has a capacity of 20,200 spectators when configured for pro wrestling.
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[HOUR ONE]
-Joe Tessitore introduced the show as they showed the exterior of the arena.
-A video package highlighted the top happenings at the Royal Rumble.
-The screen showed Randy Orton, Solo Sikoa, and Aleister Black on a divided screen to hype their Elimination Chamber qualifier match.
-Drew McIntyre made his way through the backstage area, Gorilla, and onto the stage as a camera followed. Drew strutted out with his belt around his waist looking smugly satisfied with himself. As he was being introduced, Cody Rhodes attacked him. Wade Barrett pointed out that Drew cost him his chance to win the Royal Rumble by interfering. Producers and referees ran out to try to separate them. Drew fled through the crowd as fans chanted, “Cody! Cody!”
Cody entered the ring and yanked off his jacket. He told Drew that if he thinks things are going to be the same, he’s wrong. He said he eliminated him from the Rumble, a match he wasn’t even in. He said it’s a self-fulfilling prophesy. He said he cannot in good conscience point at the WrestleMania sign for the first time. He said on Monday, Roman Reigns and C.M. Punk declared they’d be facing each other. He said as a WWE fan, he was excited. He said asked why his name was the first one to come out of people’s mouths when the segment was over. He said that’s because people know what WrestleMania means to him and what he means to WrestleMania. He said he heard was going to be a “you-know-what measuring context.” He said they are both glad he’s not in it. He then said, “Charlotte, North Carolina, what do you want to talk about!?”
He said he was born just down the street. He said Arn Anderson and Manny Fernandez were fighting in the waiting room. He said imagine his shame and discomfort when he returns to the city where the first page his story was written empty-handed. Fans sang, “Cody, Cody Rhodes!” Cody paused for a few seconds.
Cody said Drew wasn’t mad that he wasn’t WWE Champion, he was made that he was. He said his shame becomes Drew’s downfall. He told him not to worry about a thing because he won’t make it to WrestleMania. Fans sang Cody’s song.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s as much passion as Cody has shown in a promo. He was fired up. I liked him asserting that this era’s WrestleManias are about him and not ceding that ground despite the stellar Roman Reigns-C.M. Punk segment on Raw.)
-Tessitore and Barrett reacted to the segment. Barrett said you can tell it’s WrestleMania season.
-Cathy Kelley interviewed Giulia and Kiana James backstage. James said the Rumble was just a blip. She said they’ll win the tag titles and Giulia will win the Chamber and then go on to wrestle for the title at WrestleMania.
-Iyo Sky made her entrance to her music. Then Rhea Ripley came out to her music. [c]
-They showed an aerial view of the arena as Tessitore said it’s the 14th time Smackdown has been in Charlotte.
-Barrett and Tessitore comments on a clip of the Cody-Drew brawl.
-G.M. Nick Aldis told Cody that his path to WrestleMania is next week’s qualifying match. He said he needs him to control his emotions. He said if he can’t, he’ll have to rethink including Cody next week. Cody said he’d control his emotions and leave, but he’d see him in Dallas. He said Drew started it.
-Barrett said it appears Cody’s WrestleMania dream is still alive.
(1) IYO SKY & RHEA RIPLEY vs. GIULIA & KIANA JAMES – WWE Women’sTag Team Title match
The bell rang 21 minutes into the hour. They cut to a break at 3:00 with the heels in control. [c/db]
At 9:00 Sky dove through the ropes at Giulia and overshot her. Ripley then face-planted James in the ring and scored a two count. James grabbed Sky on the top rope and powerbombed her onto Ripley. Giulia then hit Sky with a knee to the head and made the cover. Ripley broke up the cover.
Giulia went after Sky mid-ring. Sky slipped out of a Northern Lights bomb. Ripley tagged in and headbutted Giulia. She delivered a Rip Ride. Sky landed an Over The Moonsault. Ripley made the cover and scored a three count.
WINNERS: Sky & Ripley in 11:00 to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles
-Ilja Dragunov confronted Miz backstage and told him to stay out of his was he demands a U.S. Title rematch. He pointed out he beat Miz last week. Miz said he went to Aldis and filled this week’s Open Challenge. Carmelo Hayes walked in and said he calls the shots. He told Dragunov that he earned a title shot with a win last week. He told Miz that he is not getting a titles hot, but he’ll get an ass whopping in the 704. Miz asked if he’s really making the rules. Hayes said he is.
-Miz headed to the ring to his music. [c]
(2) CARMELO HAYES vs. THE MIZ
The bell rang 40 minutes into the hour. The announcers talked about the Miz-Hayes relationship last week. Barrett said when Hayes walked away with Miz, that’s when he started having the most success he ever had. Tessitore mistakenly said it was Hayes’s sixth defense, them paused and corrected that it was a non-title match. They cut to an early break. [c/db]
Hayes flipped out of Miz’s grip, but Miz countered with a Skull Crushing Finale attempt, but Hayes countered that with a somersault into a First 48 for the win.
WINNER: Hayes in 9:00.
-Kelley interviewed Tiffany Stratton backstage. She asked how she can refocus and work her way back to a title shot. She said she had a WrestleMania match in her first year at Smackdown and she won’t let one night set her back from another WrestleMania Moment. She said she’ll let everyone know that Smackdown runs on Tiffy Time. In walked Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. Green said the only headline should be that she was robbed of her WrestleMania Moment after Royal Rumble elimination. Tiffany told her not to worry about the headline because she should be looking at the obituaries because that’s where her WrestleMania dreams are.
-Lash Legend made her entrance with Nia Jax. [c]
-A promo vignette aired with Uncle Howdy. He said fear doesn’t show up when everyone is together, it shows up when you’re all alone. He laughed.
[HOUR TWO]
(3) LASH LEGEND (w/Nia Jax) vs. TIFFANY STRATTON vs. CHELSEA GREEN (w/Alba Fyre) – Elimination Chamber Qualifier match
The bell rang 1 minute into the second hour. Tiffany leaped through the ropes and tackled Lash and Jax on the floor. Tiffany landed a standing moonsault on Lash in the ring. Chelsea broke up the cover Tiffany and Chelsea yelled at each other. Lash intervened, but Tiffany and Chelsea clotheslined her over the top rope. Chelsea tried to sneak a quick schoolboy on Tiffany fora. two count. Chelsea knocked Tiffany to the floor, then leaped off the top rope onto Jax and Tiffany at ringside. Green stood at ringside and pointed at the WrestleMania sign. Lash kicked her and pointed at the sign. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
Green set up an Unprettier on Tiffany after the break. Tiffany avoided it. Green charged at Tiffany in the corner, but Tiffany lifted her boot. Green climbed to the top rope, but Tiffany met her up there and superplexed her. Chelsea landed a Coast to Coast on Lash and Tiffany in a corner. She then covered Lash for a near fall. Jax yanked Chelsea off of the cover. Fyre got in Jax’s face. Jax shoved her down hard. Everyone fought at ringside. Chelsea rammed Tiffany into the ringpost and then threw her into the ring. She set up an Unprettier, but Tiffany countered and then landed a top rope Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.
WINNER: Stratton in 10:00 to earn a spot in the Elimination Chamber.
-Kelley interviewed Orton about getting another chance in the qualifying match. Orton said he’s not happy about the outcome of the Rumble, but he did face daunting odds. He said once he qualifies tonight, he’ll enter the Chamber for the tenth time, making him more experienced than anyone in that match. Aleister Black walked in and said they just said good bye to two of the greatest wrestlers ever, but they’re blessed to still have him. “At least one part of you,” he said. Randy didn’t seem to understand what he was getting at. [c]
-Royal Rumble highlights aired.
-They showed three NASCAR drivers at ringside.
-Kit Wilson made his entrance. As Wilson came out, Barrett said it’s time to detoxify. Tessitore lamented his incessant complaining to get rid of so-called toxic masculinity. “I’m Kit Wilson and yeah, I’m the topic,” he said. He said what he saw in the Rumble disgusted him. He said the ring was full of egos and meatheads. He said the sweating and grunting was toxic. Fans yelled “Toxic!” Fans yelled back, “Toxic!” He said all of the men battling to see who the biggest alpha didn’t want him in the match because he is the true real man who has confidence in his emotions, a man who moisturizes, a man who listens. “Try it,” he told the fans. He pointed at fans and said they can’t handle a man who moves his hips like he does. He hip swiveled. He said they are all toxic, but it’s not about them. He challenged anyone who was in the Rumble to come out there and take on the man who is refining masculinity.
(Keller’s Analysis: Wilson pulls off this gimmick entertainingly, but the inspiration for it seems like a snowflake defensiveness over the “threat” to men who want all men to act one certain way out of 1950 stereotypes. Trying to condition their fanbase to think men who go against or challenge old school gender norms should be laughed at and beaten up is shameful and, frankly, revealing. The Oxford Dictionary defines “toxic masculinity” as: “a set of attitudes and ways of behaving stereotypically associated with or expected of men, regarded as having a negative impact on men and on society as a whole.”)
(4) OBA FEMI vs. KIT WILSON
Femi squashed Wilson. “That’s just a red-blooded ruler,” exclaimed Tessitore.
WINNER: Femi in 1:00.
-Backstage, R-Truth was dancing to Femi’s music. He told Damien Priest that Oba stands for “Oh My Goodness!” He told Priest that Femi was smashing and eating people. McIntyre then bumped into Truth. Truth yelled, “Excuse me?!” Priest stepped up to Drew and said, “You and I have done this enough.” He told Drew that Drew has enough problems and he doesn’t need another one.
-Drew made his ring entrance. Jacob Fatu attacked Drew when he entered the ring and asked for a mic. He landed a hip attack and a clothesline, sending Drew to ringside. He then leaped over the ropes onto Drew at ringside. He pounded on him and then fended off security guys who dared to do their jobs trying to restore order. He then threw the lid off the announce desk. Fatu continues to tossed aside security before going after Drew in the time keeper’s area. [c]
-Tessitore plugged Backlash tickets.
-Aldis told Fatu backstage that he’ll tell him what he told Cody earlier, and that is he can earn a match against Drew next week. Fatu said to line them up because “I’ll dog walk their ass.” He then marched out.
(5) SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. TAMA TONGA (w/J.C. Mateo, Tonga Loa)
Nakamura’s full ring entrance aired. Then Tonga made his entrance with his cohorts. The bell rang 39 minutes into the hour. Tama took over with help from his cohorts and leaped onto Nakamura on the announce desk. They cut to an early double-box break. [c/db]
Nakamura made comeback. Tama eventully took over and landed a Stinger splash in the corner followed by a double-underhook faceplant for a two count. Mateo dragged Tama to ringside when Nakamura made a comeback. Tama hit Nakamura with a leaping DDT next. Nakamjura landed a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Nakamura set up a Kinshasa. Loa grabbed Nakamura’s boot. Tama landed a Cut Throat in the corner and another in center ring for the win.
WINNER: Tama Tonga in 10:00.
-Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Axiom, and Nathan Fraser were filmed chatting when Candice LeRae pointed out that Johnny Gargano was lying facedown on a crate. “You don’t know what that mask meant to him.” Fraser said whatever state Gargano is in, it’s clearly his own doing. Sabin told LeRae that he deceived them and lied to them and cost them a tag title shot, so they’re not helping. LeRae pleased with Shelley. He said no. She tried to get Gargano to stand.
Keley interviewed Ripley and Sky. Ripley said they’re not letting their tag titles go anytime soon. Ripley asked about her qualifying match on Raw on Monday. Ripley said she wouldn’t mind adding a little more gold. Jax said a spot in the EC would be wasted on her. She said it should go to Lash, but she was screwed. Ripley said they sound like whiny little… at which point Jax interrupted. Jax said they’ve been ducking them long enough so it’s time to talk to Aldis.
-Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan walked past Ripley and Sky.
-A commercial noted that Smackdown will be on SyFy the next two weeks.
Advertised Matches & Appearances
- Randy Orton vs. Solo Sikoa vs. Aleister Black – Elimination Chamber Qualifying match
- Liv Morgan to appear
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