‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Jan 3rd 2026)
Welcome to this review of this past Friday’s episode of Smackdown, right here on Nerdly. Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!
Match #1: Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss def. The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax & Lash Legend.
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
When order broke down, Rhea Ripley caught Kairi Sane off the top rope and blasted her with a headbutt/Riptide combination. Moments later, IYO SKY hit Sane with Over the Moonsault to earn the win for herself and Rhea Ripley heading into their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match against The Kabuki Warriors this Monday on Raw.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Matt Cardona def. Kit Wilson
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Matt Cardona returned to SmackDown to disrupt Kit Wilson’s crusade to clean up SmackDown’s “toxic masculinity” and defeated the outspoken Superstar with the Rough Ryder.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Carmelo Hayes def. Johnny Gargano
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Newly-crowned United States Champion Carmelo Hayes used Nothing But Net to successfully defend the title in a hard-fought match against Johnny Gargano.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Women’s United States Championship – Giulia def. Chelsea Green
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Moments after Kiana James distracted the official to prevent a pinfall attempt by Chelsea Green, Giulia took down the titleholder with a Butterfly Suplex/Northern Lights Bomb combination to reclaim the Women’s United States Championship.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Ambulance Match – Damian Priest def. Aleister Black
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
SmackDown’s first-ever Ambulance Match pitted Damian Priest against Aleister Black in a brutal affair that incorporated dangerous weapons, including tables, steel chairs, a stretcher, the medical backboard. the announce table, a crutch, a fire extinguisher, a fireball and even Rhea Ripley emerging from the ambulance to neutralize Zelina. After hurling Black into the windshield with the Razor’s Edge in the final moments, Priest threw his ominous opponent off the top of the ambulance and through a table. He then put Black into the ambulance and slammed the door shut to claim the win.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This week’s Smackdown was a textbook example of a show that functioned rather than fired. There was nothing outright disastrous here, but very little that truly demanded attention either. The opening women’s tag was energetic without ever clicking into top gear, while Matt Cardona’s return felt more novelty than necessity. Carmelo Hayes vs Johnny Gargano was comfortably the best pure wrestling on the card, even if it never quite hit the heights many would’ve hoped for. Giulia reclaiming the Women’s US Title was solid but undercooked, lacking the drama the moment deserved. The Ambulance Match main event delivered the expected chaos and spectacle, doing most of the heavy lifting to salvage the night. Overall, SmackDown ticked boxes, advanced stories, and sent viewers home satisfied enough, but this was firmly a “fine” episode rather than a memorable one.
