Smackdown Results

January 2, 2026

Location: Buffalo, NY

KeyBank Center

Sold-Out Arena

Broadcast: FOX

Commentary Team: Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett

OPENING SEGMENT
The broadcast fades in. Pyrotechnics detonate across the stage.

🎵 “I WALK ALOOOONE… INSIDE THIS PIT OF DANGER…” 🎵
The arena explodes!

Joe Tessitore:
“OH MY LISTEN TO THIS RESPONSE! THIS PLACE HAS ERUPTED!”
Batista steps onto the stage, Legends Championship draped over his shoulder. He stops at the top of the ramp, eyes scanning the crowd, soaking in the moment.
Wade Barrett:
“What an unexpected way to begin the new year! This is a man who has reinvented himself time and time again, Joe. They doubted him everywhere he went—but look at him now.”

Batista makes his way down the ramp with purpose. The camera catches fans on their feet, chanting his name.
Crowd:
“BAT-IS-TA! BAT-IS-TA!”

Joe Tessitore:
“For over a year and a half, Batista has held the Legends Championship—yet we haven’t seen him defend it anywhere.”
Wade Barrett:
“And that wasn’t by choice. The former owner, The Rock, kept Batista off this show. That kind of resentment doesn’t fade—it ferments.”
Batista enters the ring, climbs the turnbuckle, and raises the Legends Championship high. Deafening reaction. He steps down and asks for a microphone.
He waits. Lets the moment breathe.

Batista:
“Funny how things turn out…”
Crowd settles.
Batista:
“I came up the hard way. The Last Wrestling Federation. HCW.
Everywhere I went, people said the same thing—
‘Batista looks like a star… but he’ll never be one.’”
Boos.
Batista:
“And yeah… for a long time, I believed them.”
He pauses, glancing at the championship.
Batista:
“Then I came to WWE. I won this—the Legends Championship—and I didn’t just hold it… I carried it.”
Huge pop.
Batista:
“For a year and a half, I’ve represented this title.
While others headlined.
While others played boss.”
Crowd begins buzzing.
Batista:
“And the reason you didn’t see me on SmackDown… is because the man running the show didn’t want me anywhere near him.”
Crowd boos loudly.
Batista:
“The Rock.”
Massive reaction.

Wade Barrett (quietly, over the reaction):
“There it is…”

Batista steps forward, intensity rising.
Batista:
“About two years ago—triple threat match.
Me. Drew McIntyre. And The Rock.”
Crowd listening closely.
Batista:
“When the match ended… The Rock pinned Drew.”
Batista shakes his head.
Batista:
“But he didn’t pin me.”
The crowd explodes.

Batista:
“And I’ll say this without hesitation—
The Rock could wrestle me a million times… and he would never beat The Animal Batista.”
Huge pop.

Batista:
“So here’s what I want.”
Batista lifts the Legends Championship.

Batista:
“At the Royal Rumble…
I want The Rock and I want my title. The WWE Championship. I am the uncrowned champion.”
Crowd roars.

Batista:
“The People’s Champion… versus The Animal.”
Batista drops the microphone. His music hits as he stares straight into the hard cam.

Joe Tessitore:
“Batista has just thrown down a challenge that will shake the foundation of WWE!”

Wade Barrett:
“This isn’t nostalgia, Joe—this is legacy. Batista believes The Rock has never beaten him, and that eats away at a competitor.”

Joe Tessitore:
“If The Rock accepts this challenge at the Royal Rumble… we are talking about one of the biggest championship showdowns of this generation.”

Wade Barrett:
“And for Batista, this isn’t about Hollywood. This is about respect—and proving he was never a supporting character.”

The camera cuts back to Batista on the ramp, holding the Legends Championship high as the crowd continues to roar.

Break for ads: LIFE & LEGACY SEASON 2
A Wrestling International Network Original
Upbeat-but-slightly-cheesy reality TV music plays.
SCENE ONE: COUNTY JAIL
The camera cuts to Pete the Ref, wearing an orange jumpsuit, sitting on a metal bench. He’s gripping a jailhouse phone, visibly stressed.
Pete:
“So let me get this straight…”
Cut to his lawyer’s voice, muffled and unseen.
Lawyer (off screen):
“Yes, Pete.”

Pete:
“I’ve been in here three weeks… and Nikki Bella hasn’t visited me once?”
He pauses, listening.
Pete:
“Well did you call her?”
Another pause.
Pete:
What do you mean ‘security won’t let her in’—she’s super hot!”
Pete slams the phone lightly against the glass.
Pete:
“Tell her I miss her! And bring hair gel! This place is dry!”
A guard walks past. Pete lowers his voice.
Pete:
…Also ask if she’s still mad.
Hard cut.

The camera cuts to the ring as a graphic flashes:“THE WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP — REINSTATED TONIGHT”
The crowd buzzes with anticipation.

Joe Tessitore:
“Earlier this morning, WWE officials confirmed that the Women’s Championship—vacated by decree—has been officially reinstated.”

Wade Barrett:
“And fittingly, Joe, the woman who never lost that title, Michin, gets the first defense. But standing across from her? One of the most dangerous minds this division has ever known.”

Michin’s music hits first.

She steps onto the stage, no theatrics—just intensity. The former champion looks laser-focused, the weight of injustice and pride etched across her face. She pauses at the top of the ramp as the reinstated WWE Women’s Championship is revealed at ringside.

Joe Tessitore:
“Mitchin never lost the championship in the ring. Tonight is about validation.”
She enters the ring and stretches against the ropes, eyes never leaving the stage.

Bayley’s music hits.
The reaction is loud—mixed, emotional, electric.
Bayley walks out slowly, composed, confident. No hugging, no smiling. This is the evolved Bayley—the strategist, the survivor. She taps the side of her head, eyes locked on Michin.

Wade Barrett:
“This is a different Bayley than the one who used to play to the crowd. This version knows exactly who she is—and exactly what she wants.”

Bayley steps into the ring. Both women stare at the championship as the referee raises it high.
Bell rings.

They start slow. A tense lock-up. Neither woman gives an inch.
Michin powers Bayley back into the corner. Clean break—but Michin shoves Bayley at the last second. Bayley smirks.

Wade Barrett:
“Michin wants to establish dominance early. Bayley wants to frustrate her.”

They lock up again. Bayley ducks behind, snaps Michin down by the arm, transitions immediately into a side headlock. Michin powers up, shoots Bayley into the ropes—Bayley rebounds and drops her with a shoulder tackle.
Bayley runs again—Michin pops up and levels her with a thunderous clothesline.
Crowd pops.
Michin follows with stiff kicks to Bayley’s ribs, backing her into the corner. She charges—Bayley slips out and slams Michin face-first into the turnbuckle.
Bayley rolls her up—
ONE!
Kickout.
Bayley transitions instantly into a grounded assault—knee drops to the shoulder, grinding the arm against the mat.

Joe Tessitore:
“Bayley is dissecting Michin piece by piece.”

Michin fights to her feet and fires back with forearms. Bayley ducks one, hooks the arm, and hits a Bayley-to-Belly attempt—Michin blocks it, elbows out, and hits a devastating spinning backfist.
Both women are down.
Crowd applauds.
MOMENTUM SHIFTS
Michin rises first. She hits a running boot to Bayley in the corner, followed by a snap German suplex.
ONE!
TWO!
Bayley kicks out.
Michin doesn’t hesitate—she climbs to the top rope.
She leaps—
Bayley gets her knees up.
Michin clutches her midsection. Bayley seizes the moment, driving Michin shoulder-first into the ring post.

Wade Barrett:
“That might have changed everything.”

Bayley smells blood.
She drags Michin to the center and locks in a modified crossface, wrenching back hard. Michin screams, clawing toward the ropes.
The crowd rallies.
Michin barely reaches the bottom rope. The referee forces the break.
Bayley backs into the corner, eyes cold, calculating.

Bayley charges—Michin explodes out of nowhere with a powerful spinebuster.

Joe Tessitore:
“WHAT A COUNTER!”

Michin hits the ropes and connects with a running cannonball in the corner. She pulls Bayley out—
ONE!
TWO!
Bayley kicks out again.
Michin is stunned. She signals for the finish.
She lifts Bayley—
Bayley slips behind her.
Roll-up!
ONE!
TWO!
Michin kicks out—but Bayley holds on, transitions, spins—
BAYLEY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!
The crowd erupts.
Bayley doesn’t go for the pin. She pulls Michin up again.
She looks at the title. Then at Michin.
Bayley: “This is mine.”
She plants her—
SECOND BAYLEY-TO-BELLY!
Hooks the leg.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!

Bell rings.
The arena explodes.

Joe Tessitore:
“SHE DID IT! BAYLEY HAS DONE IT!”
Bayley collapses to her knees as the referee hands her the WWE Women’s Championship.

Wade Barrett:
“Bayley didn’t steal this—she earned it. Against a woman who never lost the title, Bayley proved she is still one of the best to ever do it.”

Bayley rises slowly, holding the championship close to her chest. She looks emotional—but composed. She climbs the turnbuckle and raises the title high.
Michin sits in the corner, exhausted, disappointed—but nodding in respect.
Bayley steps down… pauses… then offers a hand.
After a long moment, Michin accepts.
The crowd applauds.

Joe Tessitore:
“A new era begins in the WWE Women’s Division.”

Bayley stands tall in the center of the ring, WWE Women’s Championship raised as SmackDown rolls on.

A graphic flashes across the screen:
“WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP — REINSTATED!
The crowd buzzes.

Joe Tessitore:
“We have also learned that the WWE Tag Team Championships—vacated when Jon Moxley’s contract expired—are officially back.”

Wade Barrett:
“Roman Reigns and Jon Moxley leave behind a trail of dominance, Joe. But tonight, two very different teams are fighting to write the next chapter.”

The camera cuts backstage briefly—no sign of Joe Gacy.

Joe Tessitore:
“And conspicuously absent tonight? The leader of The Hollow—Joe Gacy.”

Wade Barrett:
“That’s never accidental.”

The lights go black.
A low, unsettling hum fills the arena.
Eric Rowan and Dexter Lumis emerge slowly through fog. Rowan’s eyes are wild. Lumis doesn’t blink. They move in perfect, uncomfortable silence.

Joe Tessitore:
“Eric Rowan and Dexter Lumis—representing The Hollow—are as unpredictable and as dangerous as any team in WWE.”

They step into the ring and stand motionless.
Suddenly—
🎵 “BRING THE SWAG LIKE NOBODY CAN!” 🎵
The mood shifts instantly.
The crowd erupts as Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins burst onto the stage, bouncing with energy, slapping hands, hyping the fans.

Wade Barrett:
“And here come four-time history seekers. No team in WWE history has won these titles more than The Street Profits.”

Ford stops on the stage, looks at Rowan and Lumis… then grins.
Montez Ford:
“WE. WANT. THE SMOKE.”

Bell rings.
Dawkins starts with Rowan. Immediate contrast—Rowan throws his weight around, shoving Dawkins into the corner and hammering him with clubbing blows.

Joe Tessitore:
“Rowan’s strength is overwhelming early.”

Rowan tags Lumis. Lumis stalks Dawkins, grabbing him by the wrist and twisting it slowly, staring into his eyes.

Wade Barrett:
“Dexter Lumis doesn’t rush. He enjoys the discomfort.”

Lumis snaps Dawkins down and applies a tight grounded hold. Dawkins fights, reaching—
Rowan tags back in.
Double-team slam.
ONE!
Dawkins kicks out.
The Hollow isolate Dawkins, cutting off the ring. Rowan flattens him with a big boot. Lumis follows with a leg drop.
Ford is pacing, begging for the tag.
Dawkins finally explodes with a sudden spinebuster on Rowan!
Both men crawl—
TAG!
Montez Ford is in hot.
Ford flies—dropkick to Rowan. Step-up enzuigiri to Lumis. Standing moonsault!

Joe Tessitore:
“MONTEZ FORD JUST LIT THIS PLACE ON FIRE!”
Ford hits the ropes—huge running splash on Rowan.
ONE!
TWO!
Rowan powers out.
Ford looks stunned—but keeps moving.
THE HOLLOW STRIKES BACK
Lumis sneaks in and grabs Ford from behind—side slam. Rowan follows with a massive senton.
Tag to Lumis.
Lumis locks in a choking submission, wrenching Ford back.

Wade Barrett:
“This is where The Hollow thrives—slow, methodical destruction.”

Ford is fading… but the crowd rallies.
Ford claws forward—
TAG TO DAWKINS!
Dawkins storms in, leveling Lumis with clotheslines. He scoops him—
SILENCE!
Rowan charges—Dawkins sidesteps and dumps him over the top rope.
Ford climbs the ropes—
BIG SPLASH TO THE OUTSIDE ON ROWAN!
The crowd explodes.

Back inside, Dawkins hoists Lumis up.
Ford tags himself in.
The Profits look at each other.

Wade Barrett:
“THIS IS IT!”

SKY-HIGH BLOCKBUSTER!
Ford doesn’t stop.
He climbs to the top rope.
Balances.
Leaps.
FROM THE HEAVENS FROG SPLASH!
Hooks the leg.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
AFTERMATH
Bell rings.
The arena erupts.

Joe Tessitore:
“HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE! THE STREET PROFITS ARE FOUR-TIME WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!”

Ford and Dawkins embrace as the referee hands them the championships.

Wade Barrett:
“They just surpassed every other team in WWE history. Against the darkness of The Hollow, the Street Profits shined brightest.”

Rowan and Lumis retreat up the ramp slowly, staring back at the ring.
Still no Joe Gacy.
The Street Profits climb opposite turnbuckles, raising the titles high as the crowd chants:
“FOUR-TIME! FOUR-TIME!”

Joe Tessitore:
“The Apex Era for the WWE Tag Team Division begins tonight!”

SmackDown rolls on with The Street Profits celebrating in the ring—champions once again.

break for ad: LIFE & LEGACY SEASON 2

A Wrestling International Network Original

Upbeat-but-slightly-cheesy reality TV music plays.

SCENE TWO: MR. MURREY’S OFFICE
The tone shifts.
We’re inside a sleek executive office. Mr. Murrey—CEO of Wrestling International Network, sits behind a massive desk. He’s on the phone, calm, controlled, slightly annoyed.
Mr. Murrey:
No, no—listen. I’ve worked with Doc Brown before.
(long pause)
Yes. That Doc Brown.
He leans back in his chair.
Mr. Murrey:
I’m telling you, he cannot be trusted. That’s why I fired him.
Pause. Murrey rubs his temple.
Mr. Murrey:
Do you remember that movie Only the Strong? The one from the ’90s?
Another pause.
Mr. Murrey:
Right. Capoeira. Exactly.
Murrey leans forward now, more animated.
Mr. Murrey:
Doc wanted me to fund an “experiment.” His words, not mine.
He said he could bring Shinobi from the African jungle… to teach martial arts.
Murrey stops. Blinks.
Mr. Murrey:
I didn’t ask what kind of jungle. That was my first mistake.
He shakes his head.
Mr. Murrey:
Then—this is true—he hires someone to sing a song called
“Bon On A Way A Bunch of Nachos.”
He pauses, listening to the other person react.
Mr. Murrey:
No, it wasn’t catchy.
Yes, there were maracas.
No, that didn’t make it better.
Murrey exhales.
Mr. Murrey:
Anyway… that’s why he’s gone.
He hangs up the phone, stares off for a moment.
Mr. Murrey:
…Now I’m hungry.
He presses a button on his desk.
Mr. Murrey:
Can you order nachos?
Extra cheese.
And if anyone mentions jungles today, cancel my afternoon.
His secretary nods off-camera.
Murrey leans back just as the Life & Legacy logo fades onto the screen again.

ON-SCREEN TEXT:
Life and Legacy — Season 2
Coming Soon

The Main Event of the Evening!

The United States Championship graphic fills the screen.

Joe Tessitore:
“The United States Championship has been a proving ground for Chad Gable—heart, technique, and relentless grit.”

Wade Barrett:
“And tonight he faces a problem that can’t be out-wrestled, Joe. Braun Strowman doesn’t need momentum—he is momentum.”

Braun Strowman stands in the ring already, unmoving, eyes fixed on the ramp.
Gable’s music hits. The champion walks out focused, jaw clenched, holding the title close.
Joe Tessitore:
“What a 2025 Gable had! Columnists everywhere are already saying that he is in World Championship contention for 2026! Chad Gable knows exactly what he’s up against. This isn’t about size—it’s about survival.”

Gable hands the title to the referee, never breaking eye contact with Strowman.
The bell rings.

Gable immediately shoots for the legs—single-leg takedown attempt.
Braun doesn’t budge.
Gable tries again—double-leg.
Nothing.
Braun grabs Gable by the head and throws him across the ring.
Wade Barrett:
“That’s the reality check.”
Gable scrambles back up and fires forearms at Braun’s chest—one, two, three. Braun absorbs them, barely reacting.
Braun swings—Gable ducks and hits a chop block to the knee. Braun stumbles for the first time.

Joe Tessitore:
“Smart strategy from Gable—take the base out!”

Gable follows with rapid kicks to the leg, then a snap German suplex!
The crowd pops as Braun rolls to his knee.
Gable runs the ropes—huge running dropkick to the side of the head!
ONE!
Braun powers out at one.
Gable doesn’t hesitate. He locks in a sleeper hold, wrapping Braun’s massive frame from behind, squeezing with everything he has.

Wade Barrett:
“This might be Gable’s only chance—cut off the oxygen!”

Braun staggers… drops to one knee… the crowd buzzes—
Braun stands back up with Gable still clinging to him.
Braun backs into the corner—crushes Gable against the turnbuckles.
Gable releases, gasping.
Braun turns—thunderous body avalanche.
Gable collapses.
STROWMAN UNLEASHED
Braun drags Gable up with one hand and slams him to the mat.
Then again.
Then a third time.

Joe Tessitore:
“Braun Strowman is dismantling the champion.”

Braun hits the ropes—massive running powerslam attempt—
Gable slips out!
Chaos Theory German suplex!
Another!
A third!
The crowd is on their feet.
Gable climbs to the top rope—takes a breath—
MOONSAULT!
ONE!
TWO!
Braun kicks out—and sits straight up.
The arena gasps.
Wade Barrett (low):
“Oh no…”
Gable backs away slowly, fear creeping in.
Braun rises.
Braun roars.

Gable charges—Braun catches him mid-air.
Running powerslam.
Braun isn’t done.
He drags Gable up again.
Another powerslam.
Braun stares at the hard cam… then hits the ropes one last time—
FINAL RUNNING POWERSLAM.
Hooks the leg.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!

Bell rings.
The arena erupts—half shock, half awe.

Joe Tessitore:
“WE HAVE A NEW UNITED STATES CHAMPION!”

Braun Strowman stands, breathing heavily, as the referee hands him the United States Championship.

Wade Barrett:
“Chad Gable fought with everything he had—but Braun Strowman is an extinction-level event.”

Braun raises the title slowly… then asks for a microphone.
The crowd quiets.

Braun stands in the center of the ring. No music. No rush.
He looks down at the championship.
Then up at the camera.
Braun Strowman:
“For a long time… I waited.”
His voice is calm. Too calm.
Braun Strowman:
“I watched this place crown heroes. I watched monsters get overlooked.”
He lifts the title.
Braun Strowman:
“This… is proof that patience ends.”
The crowd listens in uneasy silence.
Braun Strowman:
“Everyone keeps asking the same question…”
He tilts his head.
Braun Strowman:
‘Where’s Joe Gacy?’”
A ripple moves through the arena.
Braun Strowman:
“I don’t know where he is.”
Pause.
Braun Strowman:
“But what I do know… is that The Hollow doesn’t wait for leaders.”
He slowly raises his eyes.
Braun Strowman:
“In his absence… I lead.”
The crowd murmurs.
Braun Strowman:
“I don’t preach. I don’t promise.”
He grips the title tighter.
Braun Strowman:
“I dominate.”
He steps closer to the hard cam.
Braun Strowman:
“This championship is the beginning.
This show… is next.
And everyone backstage?”
A long pause.
Braun Strowman:
“You’re already standing in the shadows.”
Braun drops the mic.
He raises the United States Championship high as the lights subtly dim.

Joe Tessitore (quietly):
“Something has changed on SmackDown. I know it is winter but this month just got a little darker and a bit colder.”

Wade Barrett:
“The Hollow just found its monster.”

The camera lingers on Braun’s unblinking stare as SmackDown fades to black.