WWE SmackDown airs live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. tonight on Syfy in the United States, due to the USA Network’s coverage of the Winter Olympics. International fans can watch the show on Netflix.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: RHIYO (Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY) (c) vs. Nia Jax & Lash Legend
WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Jordynne Grace
Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatus vs. Sami Zayn
Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Giulia vs. Zelina
After initially being believed to have suffered a sprained ankle on WWE SmackDown, the former WWE Women’s United States Champion has now confirmed the injury is far more serious. Taking to X for another installment of her tongue-in-cheek “Chelsea Chronicles,” Green revealed that she actually broke her ankle.
The injury occurred during last Friday’s Elimination Chamber qualifying match, where Green faced Tiffany Stratton and Lash Legend. While early reports suggested a sprain — with additional testing pending — Green first hinted that things were more severe earlier this week. She posted a photo showing significant bruising on her ankle, along with a humorous list of “demands” directed at WWE management.
Before that, she teased the situation in true Chelsea fashion, telling her loyal “Patri-Hots” that she had survived a “near-fatal fall” and suffered a “career-threatening injury.” Now, the diagnosis has been made official: it’s a broken ankle.
As of this writing, Green has not disclosed how long she expects to be sidelined.
The injury also forced her to miss AAA’s event over the weekend, where she had been scheduled to defend the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship alongside NXT’s Ethan Page. La Hiedra stepped in as her replacement, but the duo ultimately dropped the titles to Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana.
Green had already experienced a rocky start to the year after losing the Women’s United States Championship to Giulia on the January 2 edition of SmackDown. More recently, her name trended among fans following comments made by longtime backstage producer Michael Hayes on WWE Unreal, where he suggested Green was not “world championship material.” The remark sparked backlash online, with fans — and her ever-supportive “Patri-Hots” — rallying behind her across social media.
Now, Green faces a physical setback on top of the recent professional hurdles. If her past resilience and ability to turn adversity into entertainment are any indication, however, don’t expect her to stay out of the spotlight for long — even if she’ll be doing so on one good ankle for the foreseeable future.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and on Netflix for international fans at 8:00 pm ET from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Women’s Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan announced on this past Monday’s Raw that she will be SmackDown, as she is still deciding if if she will challenge for the Women’s World Championship or the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42.
Royce Keys (FKA Powerhouse Hobbs) rumored to be appearing
United States Champion Carmelo Hayes will probably be having a open challenge match
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans, from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
AJ Styles to appear
WWE Tag Team Championships Match: Wyatt Sicks (c) vs. MFT
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships No. 1 Contenders Match: Nia Jax & Lash Legend vs. Giulia & Kiana James vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
Leon Slater has found himself at the center of a lot of buzz this week, and while his surprise appearance on WWE SmackDown turned heads, there’s now more clarity on why the TNA X-Division Champion has been pulled from multiple scheduled matches.
WWE had interest in featuring Slater during its ongoing European tour, which included SmackDown emanating from Wembley Stadium. Slater answered Carmelo Hayes’ open challenge for the United States Championship, giving the British standout a high-profile moment on WWE television. Although Slater didn’t walk away with the title, his performance reportedly left a strong impression backstage.
At the same time, fans noticed Slater’s sudden removal from upcoming TNA programming. He was initially advertised to defend the X-Division Championship against Myron Reed on the AMC debut of Thursday Night iMPACT, but that match was quietly scrapped. Shortly after, Reed and The Rascalz were announced as new signings with AEW, further fueling speculation.
Slater was also pulled from a major title defense at TNA Genesis on January 17, where he was set to face Cedric Alexander and Moose. That bout has since been changed, with Alexander and Moose now challenging Joe Hendry instead.
Given Slater’s crossover appearance on SmackDown, rumors quickly surfaced suggesting a working arrangement between WWE and TNA—possibly with Slater’s appearance being traded for AJ Styles showing up on iMPACT. However, according to Fightful Select, the situation is far less political and more logistical.
The report notes that Slater is one of several TNA talents currently dealing with visa issues. Because he was already back home in the UK, TNA opted to allow WWE to use him during their European tour rather than keep him sidelined entirely. During iMPACT, TNA officially addressed the situation in a backstage segment, announcing that Slater would miss Genesis due to those visa complications.
Before Friday’s SmackDown, Slater’s most recent WWE appearance came at NXT New Year’s Evil, where he suffered a loss to Oba Femi. Despite the crossover exposure, Slater remains under contract with TNA through the end of 2026.
While visa issues may have temporarily disrupted his TNA run, Slater’s recent WWE appearances have only elevated his profile. Once those matters are resolved, it’ll be interesting to see how TNA positions its X-Division Champion after gaining valuable experience on one of WWE’s biggest stages.
WWE SmackDown airs tonight (Jan. 16) with a show (live on Netflix in certain international markets, taped version airing in its normal time slot in the USA) from OVO Arena Wembley in London, England
New Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre returns to SmackDown
Undisputed WWE Title No. 1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. The Miz
Undisputed WWE Title No. 1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa
Undisputed WWE Title No. 1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
Undisputed WWE Title No. 1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams
Carmelo Hayes to host a United States Title Open Challenge
Friday night’s WWE SmackDown from Berlin delivered one of the most chaotic main events of the year, as Drew McIntyre walked out as the new Undisputed WWE Champion after surviving Cody Rhodes in a brutal Three Stages of Hell Match — with a shocking assist from a returning Jacob Fatu.
The match was built to test endurance and brutality, and McIntyre and Rhodes wasted no time living up to that promise. The opening stage was a traditional singles match, and McIntyre immediately showed a more ruthless edge. While brawling spilled outside the ring early, the decisive moment came when McIntyre distracted the referee by exposing a turnbuckle. With the official turned away, McIntyre delivered a low blow to Rhodes and followed it with a Claymore to steal the first fall.
The second stage shifted into Falls Count Anywhere, and the intensity ramped up quickly. McIntyre introduced a table at ringside and drove Rhodes through it, but the champion somehow powered out at two. The fight spilled into the crowd and backstage area before Rhodes managed to regain control. In a highlight-worthy moment, Rhodes climbed into the stands and launched himself off the railing, crashing through McIntyre and a table below.
Rhodes wasn’t done there. After dragging McIntyre back toward the ring, he cleared off the commentary desk and delivered a Cross Rhodes that sent both men crashing through it. The impact was enough to even the score at one fall apiece, forcing the match into its final and most dangerous stage.
With the steel cage lowering around the ring, both men fought with urgency, knowing escape would mean victory. McIntyre repeatedly tried to flee through the door and over the top, while Rhodes answered with relentless offense. Despite eating multiple Cross Rhodes and a Cody Cutter, McIntyre refused to stay down. Even a Claymore couldn’t put Rhodes away for good, as the champion continued to dig deep.
The turning point came when McIntyre attempted another escape through the cage door — and ran directly into a returning Jacob Fatu. Believing McIntyre was the mystery attacker who sidelined him months ago, “The Samoan Werewolf” unleashed a brutal assault. Rhodes stepped in to confront Fatu, only to get caught up in the chaos himself.
As Fatu and Rhodes brawled inside the cage, McIntyre seized the moment. He crawled through the door and escaped to the floor, officially ending the match and capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship. Inside the ring, Fatu looked on in disbelief as McIntyre celebrated, leaving more questions than answers about what comes next.
McIntyre’s reign begins amid controversy and unfinished business, while Fatu’s return instantly shakes up the title picture. One thing is certain: SmackDown’s main event scene just became far more unpredictable.
WWE SmackDown tonight 8/7C on USA Network taped at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany.
Undisputed WWE Championship – Three Stages of Hell Match (Traditional singles match, a Falls Count Anywhere Match and a Steel Cage Match): Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Fans waiting for “Tiffy Time” to kick off 2026 are going to have to hang tight a little longer. Tiffany Stratton has been noticeably missing from WWE television in recent weeks, and new reports indicate her absence isn’t storyline-related after all.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Stratton is currently sidelined with a legitimate injury. While specifics about the nature or severity of the injury haven’t been made public, her most recent televised match featured a knee injury angle against Jade Cargill. That storyline is now believed to be rooted in real-life issues, suggesting WWE creatively leaned into an existing problem rather than inventing one.
Earlier speculation had pointed in a different direction. A previous report from PWMania claimed Stratton’s time off could have been a deliberate creative move. Paul “Triple H” Levesque has been known to temporarily pull talent from TV to allow fan demand to build, often leading to louder reactions and renewed momentum upon their return. It’s a tactic that has worked well for several top stars over the years.
However, the confirmation of an actual injury reframes that narrative. Stratton had been heavily featured throughout 2025 and was one of the most consistently protected names on the women’s roster. At just 25 years old, she’s already held championship gold and delivered multiple standout performances, firmly establishing herself as a centerpiece of WWE’s women’s division.
There’s currently no word on when Stratton might be cleared to return, but expectations are that her comeback will be met with a strong crowd response whenever it happens. WWE often uses time away to reset characters or adjust creative plans, and Stratton could easily benefit from either approach once she’s healthy.
For now, fans will have to wait — but when Tiffany Stratton does make her return, it’s likely to be a big moment.
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