WWE SmackDown Preview (1/16/26): Start Time, Match Card, How To Watch & Live Stream

The next stop along the Road to Royal Rumble Tour is in London, as WWE SmackDown will emanate from the OVO Arena Wembley later tonight.

Fittingly enough, the only British WWE Champion in history will return to England's capital city with the company's top prize once again around his waist.

Drew McIntyre withstood 'Three Stages of Hell' last Friday night and defeated Cody Rhodes to become a three-time WWE Champion. There's little doubt that McIntyre will be expecting a hero's welcome when he steps foot in the ring for his victory lap, but will The American Nightmare, or Jacob Fatu for that matter, allow him to complete it unimpeded?

AND NEW!!@DMcIntyreWWE DID IT!! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/A4YJhIbtkG
— WWE (@WWE) January 10, 2026

The Scottish Warrior, meanwhile, won't have to wait long at all for his first title defense. A tournament to crown a new No. 1 Contender will get underway tonight with four huge singles matches booked for the show.

Randy Orton, The Miz, Damian Priest, Solo Sikoa, Matt Cardona, Trick Williams, Ilja Dragunov and Sami Zayn will all be vying for four open spots in a No. 1 Contender's Match that will take place on January 24 at Saturday Night's Main Event.

WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill and Alexa Bliss are also being advertised for the show, and Carmelo Hayes will once again put his Men's United States Title on the line. Here's everything we currently know about tonight's episode of WWE SmackDown in London. Check back for updates as more matches and segments are announced throughout the day.

Randy Orton vs. The Miz

The Miz won his first WWE Championship all the way back in 2010 when he successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract against, you guessed it, Randy Orton. All these years later, they'll meet once again with a potential shot at reclaiming the WWE Title on the line.

The Miz has proclaimed himself to be the new face of the company and locker room leader with John Cena now enjoying retirement. Let's see if he can prove it tonight against The Viper, who has his sights set on a 15th World Championship.

Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa

Damian Priest has spent the past six months locked in a rivalry with Aleister Black, but after providing him with a ride to the hospital via their brutal Ambulance Match two weeks ago, the former World Heavyweight Champion is finally free to make his climb back to the top of the WWE mountain.

Priest will face Solo Sikoa in his qualifying match-up. Sikoa and his MFTs have been on a mission to control all the gold on SmackDown, and he could take a giant leap toward accomplishing that goal with a win tonight.

Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams

Matt Cardona did not bust his tail for six years on the independent circuit just to settle back into the same position he held in WWE prior to his release. He's back to ascend to heights that Zack Ryder could only dream of, and that includes becoming a career WWE Grand Slam Champion.

If Cardona wants to earn his opportunity at Drew McIntyre, he'll first have to get past Trick Williams. SmackDown's newest Superstar is cocky and confident, and he's ready to show off the skills that made him a two-time NXT Champion and TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov

The last time that Sami Zayn faced off against Ilja Dragunov, it was a total surprise. The Mad Dragon answered Zayn's open challenge after missing a year of action due to a significant knee injury, and he capped off his return match by winning the Men's United States Championship.

Zayn will undoubtedly be more prepared for Dragunov this time around, and perhaps more motivated than ever to finally add a WWE Championship to his resume. Having never beaten Drew McIntyre, the odds may be stacked against him, but that's when Sami has proven to be at his most dangerous.

Men's United States Championship Open Challenge

Carmelo Hayes is bringing the Men's United States Championship Open Challenge to the other side of the pond. With successful title defenses against Johnny Gargano and Shinsuke Nakamura already under his belt, Melo has asked for the best in the UK to step up to HIM later tonight.

Could this open the door for TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater to answer the call? He was scheduled to compete on the Thursday Night iMPACT! debut on AMC this week, but he was reportedly pulled from the show to take part in the WWE European Tour.