WWE Smackdown Review – January 26, 2024
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with Randy Orton says Roman Reigns has held the Undisputed WWE Universal Title for almost 1,300 days and that’s virtually unheard of. He says no one can stop him or The Bloodline except for him. He says once all the dust clears and the smoke settles, the only number that will matter is 15 because he will become a 15x World Champion after he wins the Fatal 4 Way match at the Royal Rumble. He says he plans on doing that by beating Roman Reigns with an RKO.
AJ Styles’ music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He asks Orton if he realizes that there’s other people in the match and tells him that he asked Nick Aldis for a match against Solo Sikoa to take his head off but he instead awarded that match to Knight. He says as long as Orton has been in WWE he should know better before he brings up their history.
LA Knight’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says he wants to talk to fans then brags about how he’ll win the Fatal 4 Way match. He says everyone is stepping over him and asks Styles if he really thinks he wants to fight Solo Sikoa then says he sees 4 men in that match. He says given that he’s the only one who has a match Paul Heyman did what he could to soften him up for tomorrow night. He says he’ll fight whoever he has to and says he’ll walk over whoever he has to become WWE Champion.
Knight heads to the back leaving Styles & Orton in the ring. Styles then hits a Pele Kick to Orton.
Carlito vs. Santos Escobar
Carlito & Santos Escobar stare one another down then Carlito fires off right hands on Escobar then hits a few stomps in the corner.
He then sends Escobar crashing into all 4 turnbuckles face first and hits a chop to level Escobar before Escobar connects with a kick on Carlito’s face.
Carlito fires off more right hands then sends Carlito crashing out of the ring from the apron and connects with a tope suicida as we go to a break.
After the break Escobar rips Carlito’s shirt off him and his athletic tape off his shoulder and delivers a few elbows to said injured shoulder then hits an avalanche hurricanrana and locks in a submission as he continues targeting Carlito’s shoulder.
He stomps on his shoulder but Carlito levels him with a clothesline and a dropkick then follows it up with a swinging neckbreaker and a spinebuster then delivers a running knee and another clothesline.
Humberto hops up on the apron and captures the referee’s attention allowing Angel Garza to send him crashing out of the ring.
LWO then goes after Angel & Humberto & Cruz Del Toro goes flying off the top to level everyone.
Elektra Lopez then appears out of nowhere to take out Zelina Vega allowing Escobar to roll up Carlito for the win.
Winner: Santos Escobar
After the break we see new NXT General Manager Ava meet with Nick Aldis as Bobby Lashley & Street Profits walk in and Lashley draws his number for his spot in the Royal Rumble. Legado Del Fantasma enters and Santos Escobar does the same.
We then head over to a video of Bayley reflecting on her history with the WWE Performance Center and her journey in the company thus far ahead of the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble.
After the break we see R Truth drawing his number for the Royal Rumble.
Women’s Tag Team Titles Match
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (c) vs. Kabuki Warriors (Kairi Sane & Asuka)
Kayden Carter goes right after Asuka as she hits a dropkick to her then tags in Katana Chance.
Chance hits a senton to Asuka from the apron over the top rope then levels Kairi Sane and delivers an arm drag to Asuka.
Chance & Carter then hit a double dropkick to Kabuki Warriors on the outside and Chance flies to take both of them out as we go to a break.
After the break Kabuki Warriors double team on Chance before Chance low bridges Asuka out of the ring through the middle rope then tosses Sane out of the ring on the other side.
Asuka locks in an Ankle Lock on Chance but Chance fights her off and tags in Carter.
Carter hits a crossbody to Kabuki Warriors on the outside from the top rope then gets Asuka back in the ring and delivers a running boot to her face.
She hits a springboard leg drop but Sane tags in before Kabuki Warriors double team on Carter.
Sane hits a spinning bac fist to Carter then ascends to the top and looks to land the In Sane Elbow but Carter gets her boots up and Sane tags in Asuka.
Carter hits a flatliner to Asuka then tags in Chance & Chance ascends to the top rope and hits Keg Stand with Carter then goes for a pin but Sane breaks the fall.
Carter tags back in and Chance ascends to the top rope & they look to land The Afterparty but Sane takes the hit for Asuka and sends Chance crashing into the announce table spine first on the outside.
In the ring Carter looks to roll up Asuka but Asuka kicks out and delivers a kick to her midsection.
Sane tags in and ascends to the top rope then hits In Sane Elbow to Carter as Asuka holds her in place for the win.
Winners & New Women’s Tag Team Champions: Kabuki Warriors (NEW CHAMPIONS!!!!)
After the break we see Bianca BelAir & Bayley pick their numbers for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match.
Bobby Lashley says him & Street Profits are chasing cowards once again then reintroduces the 3 of them and says the people of Miami came to see them all fight then calls The Final Testament out to the ring and they makes their way down.
Scarlett gets inside the ring and Lashley & Street Profits call The Final Testament cowards for sending Scarlett into the ring. Paul Ellering says there is no fear in Karrion Kross and Kross says Ellering speaks the truth. He says all he sees in Lashley & Street Profits is desperation and frustration and tells Lashley that he’s no longer in control. He says they technically honored their agreement to meet face 2 face but they won’t get their fight tonight. Lashley says he’ll give Kross credit for appearing but he lied when he said they aren’t fighting tonight.
Street Profits make their way up the ramp to brawl with The Final Testament & Lashley looks to join them but Scarlett jumps on his back. Kross slides in the ring and blindsides him before the Authors Of Pain get in the ring with Street Profits and attack them.
We then head backstage and see Jimmy Uso draw his number for the Royal Rumble.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory
Austin Theory shoves Carmelo Hayes before Hayes lands a chop on him but Theory connects with a 2nd elbow and sends Hayes crashing out of the ring as Grayson Waller takes a cheap shot at him as we go to a break.
After the break Hayes hits a pair of back elbows and levels Theory then sends him crashing into the mat face first and ascends to the top rope but Waller grabs his attention.
This opens the door for Theory to pull him off and flip him inside out before he gets him up on his shoulders.
Waller hops up on the apron again but Hayes knocks him off and rolls up Theory but Theory reverses the fall while grabbing onto Hayes’ tights for the win.
Winner: Austin Theory
After the match Waller attacks Hayes & Theory joins in but Trick Williams runs down to even the odds and provides Hayes with a hand.
LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa
LA Knight fires off right hand on Solo Sikoa then hits a shoulder to his midsection and a kick to his head and sends his hand bouncing off the ring apron, the barricade, the announce table and the ring steps.
He sends his hand bouncing off the ring post and gets him back in the ring then looks to fly in the ring. Sikoa catches him with a right hand as we go to a break.
After the break Sikoa fires off a pair of headbutts but Knight hits a back elbow and connects with a kick to his face. Sikoa connects with a clothesline but Knight responds with right hands and levels him.
Knight fires off stomps on Sikoa in the corner then hits a DDT and clotheslines him out of the ring.
He hits a dropkick through the bottom rope to Sikoa on the outside then sends his head repeatedly bouncing off the announce table and rocks him with a knee to the side of his head.
Out of nowhere AJ Styles appears out of nowhere and hits a Phenomenal Forearm to Knight causing the disqualification.
Winner By DQ: LA Knight
After the match Styles then sends Knight crashing into the ring steps and Jimmy Uso grabs a chair. He places it in front of Styles & Styles picks it up. He considers hitting Knight with it but opts to hit Sikoa & Jimmy with it instead. Orton’s music then hits and he connects with a scoop powerslam on Jimmy. Sikoa then looks to send Orton crashing through the announce table but Orton fights him off and sends Sikoa crashing on top of it. He hits a hanging DDT to Jimmy then does the same to Styles and hits him with a RKO. Orton stands tall to close out this week’s Smackdown.
