WWE SmackDown Results 1/30 - We Hear From Cody Rhodes, Carmelo Hayes Issues An US Open Challenge

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on January 30, 2026, coming to you from the Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia!

As he prepares to compete in the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble tomorrow night at WWE Royal Rumble to secure his spot at WrestleMania 42, Cody Rhodes will be making an appearance on tonight's show with something on his mind to share. Rhodes has made it clear that he isn't done coming for Drew McIntyre's Undisputed WWE Championship since being dethroned by him on the January 9 edition of "SmackDown" nor is he done with Jacob Fatu after Fatu inadvertently cost him the title.

Carmelo Hayes successfully defended his United States Championship against Ilja Dragunov during last Friday's edition of "SmackDown", with Dragunov having answered Hayes' US Open Challenge. While Dragunov came close to dethroning Hayes, The Miz ensured that didn't happen by pushing Dragunov off the top rope and opening the door for Hayes to connect with The First 48 on Dragunov. Not only will Hayes keep the US Open Challenge going when he issues another US Open Challenge tonight, but Dragunov looks to seek his retribution when he goes one-on-one with The Miz.

Johnny Gargano will be returning to action tonight as he goes head-to-head with former two time NXT Tag Team Champion Axiom. Tensions between the two men have been on the rise ever since Gargano and his wife Candice LeRae stole Axiom's mask a number of weeks ago, with Gargano having come up short to Axiom's tag team partner Nathan Frazer last Friday due to a miscommunication between Gargano and LeRae.

Additionally, the aforementioned McIntyre and Sami Zayn are set to cross paths as they meet one night before McIntyre defends his Undisputed WWE Championship against Zayn at Royal Rumble.

We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as the show kicks off with a video recapping the events of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event.

Cody Rhodes then makes his way to the ring.

Rhodes asks Riyadh what they want to talk about, then says he half expected to come to the ring trading punches with Jacob Fatu. He says Fatu wasn't who he thought he was, then says his Undisputed WWE Championship reign was prematurely ended by Drew McIntyre.

Rhodes asks Riyadh if he's ready for Royal Rumble, then questions where McIntyre was and says McIntyre is realizing that he simply won the Undisputed WWE Championship rather than what's actually important. He says McIntyre isn't being the role model he claimed he was with his absence, then ponders the possibility of winning the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble and Sami Zayn becoming Undisputed WWE Champion. He says he's taken the road less traveled more than once in his career, then considers challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Randy Orton's music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. He says he loves Saudi Arabia, then says all the fans know how he feels about Rhodes. He says that they're brothers, then says no one understood how much it tore up Rhodes when he lost the Undisputed WWE Championship. He says that he knows a desperate Cody Rhodes is dangerous, but nothing is more dangerous than "The Viper" chasing his 15th World Championship. He warns Rhodes that he's not afraid of eliminating Rhodes without hesitation from the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble.

Jey Uso's music hits, and he makes his way out. He says he'll become a two time Royal Rumble winner this year and walk out of WWE WrestleMania 42 as World Heavyweight Champion.

Sami Zayn's music hits and he makes his way out. He says he recognizes the fact that he's in the ring with three of the absolute best right now, then says he has the chance to win the Undisputed WWE Championship right now. He says in order to do that, he has to face the fact that McIntyre has scored a win against him 11 times while he hasn't defeated McIntyre once. He says he's never lost a match in Saudi Arabia, then says he plans on being Undisputed WWE Champion tomorrow night. He says he'll be waiting for the winner of the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble.

Paul Heyman makes his way out along with Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, Austin Theory, and Logan Paul. He introduces himself and says he sees four huge WWE Superstars in the ring who don't have a Vision, then says there's no Vision of Zayn winning the Undisputed WWE Championship or Rhodes, Orton, and Jey winning the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble.

Heyman says tomorrow will be Bron Breakker's night, but Orton tells Heyman to quiet down and says while he doesn't have a spoiler or a prediction, he has a dare. He dares The Vision to meet himself, Rhodes, Jey, and Zayn in the ring, but before things can become physical, Nick Aldis appears and makes an Eight Man Tag Team Match pitting Rhodes, Orton, Jey, and Zayn against The Vision official for tonight.

Carmelo Hayes then makes his way to the ring. Rey Fenix follows, answering the call for his US Open Challenge.

The bell rings and the two lock up. Fenix lands a chop on Hayes, then follows it up with an arm drag to him and dumps him onto the apron over the top rope. Fenix lands a kick to Hayes' face off the top rope, then flies over it to level Hayes on the outside and lands a sliding dropkick on him in the corner of the ring.

Back from the break, Hayes and Fenix take turns rolling one another up. Fenix looks to land a springboard back elbow on Hayes, but Hayes moves out of the way and takes down Fenix with a springboard clothesline. Hayes catches Fenix with a diving DDT off the middle rope and pins him, but Fenix kicks out and looks to send Hayes crashing into the mat before Hayes escapes.

Hayes and Fenix level one another with kicks to each other's heads, but Hayes levels Fenix with a chop and both men take out one another with clotheslines.

Back from another break, Fenix lands a double stomp on Hayes' spine off the middle rope. Hayes catches Fenix with a springboard DDT and pins him, but Fenix kicks out and spikes Hayes with a DDT of his own. Hayes connects with The First 48 on Fenix, then ascends to the top rope and lands Nothing But Net on him for the win.

Winner (and still): Carmelo Hayes

Back from the break, we see R-Truth and Nick Aldis preparing the wheel filled with Royal Rumble numbers. Damian Priest approaches and Aldis informs Priest that he managed to get him a spot in the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble. Priest then draws a number, and while Truth and Aldis seem concerned after they see the number themselves, Priest says it's just a number and it gives him more time to beat people down.

We then head over to a conversation between Cathy Kelley and Drew McIntyre, where McIntyre puts Sami Zayn on notice ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match tomorrow night.

Back from another break, we see a tense verbal confrontation between Rhiyo, Giulia and Kiana James, and Nia Jax and Lash Legend.

Back at ringside, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss make their way to the ring.

Flair says the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble is one day away, and while everyone is at each other's throats, she plans on winning to secure her spot at WrestleMania 42. Bliss says she had the same plan as Flair, and Flair tells Bliss that she knew she would be supportive as she shares that she plans on dedicating her Royal Rumble win to Bliss. Bliss clarifies that she meant she was planning on winning the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble to go on to WrestleMania 42 herself, and Flair questions if Bliss needed her help to win.

Bliss says she doesn't need Flair's help and says not everything is about Flair, and Flair asks Bliss if she's willing to eliminate her from the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble. Bliss reciprocates the question.

Liv Morgan's music hits and she makes her way out along with Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Morgan mocks Flair and Bliss for fighting, then expresses her confidence in either herself, Perez, and Rodriguez winning the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble. Flair dares Judgment Day to meet herself and Bliss in the ring, and Morgan agrees.

Judgment Day marches down to the ring, but they stop as Morgan says that Judgment Day has better things to do. Nick Aldis makes his way out and says his rule is that if you step on stage, you volunteer to step into the ring. He makes a tag team match between Judgment Day and Flair and Bliss official up next.

Back from the break, the bell has rung and Roxanne Perez slaps Flair. Flair chases Perez back in the ring and levels Morgan with a forearm on the outside, but unbeknownst to Flair, Morgan has tagged in and rains down right hands on Flair. Perez tags back in, but Flair levels her and Morgan with a double suplex and tags in Bliss.

Bliss lands a sliding dropkick on Morgan and Perez under the bottom rope, then dumps Perez back in the ring. Perez rains down right hands on Bliss, then lands a boot on her midsection and fires off more boots on Bliss in the corner. Morgan tags back in and lands a splash on Bliss in the corner, then connects with a step-up knee on her and goes for a pin. Bliss kicks out and sends Morgan crashing across the ring with a dropkick.

Perez distracts the referee as Rodriguez trips Bliss while she runs the ropes. Morgan then lands a dropkick on Bliss and pins her, but Bliss kicks out. Perez sends Bliss' face bouncing off the ring apron and dumps her back in the ring, then goes for a pin but Bliss kicks out.

Bliss connects with a shotgun dropkick on Perez, but Perez prevents Bliss from tagging out to Flair. Morgan then tags back in.

Back from another break, Morgan rolls up Bliss. Bliss and Morgan then take turns rolling one another up, but Bliss levels Morgan with a right hand and tags in Flair as Perez tags in on her side.

Flair ascends to the top rope and delivers a crossbody to Morgan and Perez. She fires off chops on Perez and Morgan, then ascends to the top rope and delivers a double moonsault to Morgan and Perez. Bliss then tags in and delivers Natural Selection to Morgan before she goes for a pin and Perez breaks the fall.

Morgan and Perez deliver a codebreaker-Russian Leg Sweep combination to Bliss, but Flair lands Natural Selection on Morgan. Rodriguez hops up on the apron, but Stephanie Vaquer appears and pulls her off. She delivers a thrust kick to Rodriguez, opening the door for Bliss to land a Sister Abigail on Perez for the win.

Winners: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss

We then head backstage and see Jade Cargill attack Jordynne Grace. Grace and Cargill begin brawling with one another, but officials manage to get them separated.

Back at ringside, Axiom and Nathan Frazer make their way to the ring. Johnny Gargano follows, with Nick Aldis telling Gargano and Candice LeRae that LeRae is barred from ringside and Axiom being able to receive his mask should he win.

The bell rings and the two lock up. Axiom rolls up Gargano, but Gargano kicks out and lands a pair of chops on Axiom. Axiom delivers a chop of his own to Gargano, but Gargano trips Axiom on the top rope and flies through the middle rope with a tope suicida to level him on the outside.

Back from the break, Gargano rocks Axiom with an enzuigiri. Axiom responds with a standing Spanish Fly to Gargano. Axiom delivers a moonsault to Gargano off the middle rope, then follows it up with a dropkick off the middle and goes for a pin. Gargano kicks out.

Gargano rocks Axiom with a kick to him, then connects with a Michinoku Driver on him and goes for a pin. Axiom kicks out, but Gargano ascends to the top rope. Axiom meets Gargano up there and lands a Spanish Fly on him, then spots his mask that Gargano stole and picks it up. He sets up for the Golden Ratio, but Gargano avoids it and rolls up Axiom. Axiom kicks out.

Gargano steals Axiom's mask, but Axiom spots his other mask and puts it on. He connects with the Golden Radio on Gargano for the win.

Winner: Axiom

AJ Styles then makes his way to the ring.

Styles welcomes fans to the house that AJ Styles built, then says he has a big match against GUNTHER tomorrow night and says The Phenomenal Farewell Tour will begin. He says once he's done with GUNTHER, he plans on running it back with many of his foes including Randy Orton.

GUNTHER appears out of nowhere and stands up on the announce desk. He says he appreciates Styles being optimistic about his future, but Styles knows that he made a mistake so severe deep down that it will cost him his career. He says he will retire Styles tomorrow and do it the same way as he did to John Cena by forcing him to tap out, but Styles says GUNTHER is funny because it takes one to know one. He reminds GUNTHER that he tapped out in their last match on January 12, and while GUNTHER initially steps up to Styles, he ultimately backs down.

We then head backstage and see a verbal confrontation between Shinsuke Nakamura and Tama Tonga ensue.

Back at ringside, The Miz makes his way out. Ilja Dragunov follows.

The bell rings and the two lock up. Dragunov rocks Miz with a boot to his face, but Miz responds with a running boot of his own that sends Dragunov crashing out of the ring.

Back from the break, Miz lands a chop on Dragunov's chest. Dragunov fires off several rapid chops of his own on Miz, then connects with the Constantine Special on him and goes for a pin. Miz kicks out and spikes Dragunov with a DDT, then goes for a pin but Dragunov kicks out. Dragunov then fires off back elbows on Miz, but Miz responds with the Yes Kicks to Dragunov and lands a clothesline on him in the corner. Dragunov then manages to catch Miz with the H-Bomb for the win.

Winner: Ilja Dragunov

The Vision then makes their way to the ring. Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and Randy Orton follow.

The Vision blindside Orton, Jey, and Zayn in the ring. Rhodes runs down to the ring to even the odds, Rhodes, Zayn, Jey, and Orton send The Vision crashing out of the ring, with Rhodes holding down the top rope in order for Zayn and Jey to take flight.

Back from the break, Rhodes has ascended to the top rope and lands an ax handle on Bron Breakker as Jey holds him in place. Zayn tags in and flies off the top rope, then tags back out to Rhodes. Breakker runs the ropes and takes out Rhodes with a clothesline, then jams his boot into Rhodes' throat and tags in Bronson Reed. Breakker levels Rhodes with a shoulder block and Reed follows it up with a running senton before Breakker lands a standing moonsault on Rhodes.

Austin Theory tags in and lands a stomp on Rhodes, then stomps on his hand and rains down right hands on him. He uses the bottom rope to lock in a Crossface on Rhodes, then tags out to Reed. Reed rocks Rhodes with a forearm and rains down right hands on him. Theory then sends Rhodes crashing into one of the barricades on the outside spine first.

Back from another break, Breakker tags back in and Reed assists him in landing a splash on Rhodes. He goes for a pin, but Zayn and Jey break the fall.

Zayn and Jey pull Rhodes closer to the corner in the hopes that he can tag out, but Logan Paul tags in and beats down Rhodes. Paul looks to land a splash on Rhodes, but Rhodes moves out of the way and sends Paul crashing into the corner.

Orton and Theory tag in, and Orton delivers a scoop powerslam on Theory. Paul clocks Orton, but Zayn dumps him out of the ring. Breakker dumps Zayn out of the ring, but Jey dumps Breakker out until Reed dumps out Jey. Orton then catches Theory with an RKO and pins him, but Paul breaks the fall.

Everyone begins brawling with one another once again, but Zayn connects with a Tornado DDT on Reed. He sets up for the Helluva Kick on him, but Drew McIntyre appears out of nowhere and pulls him out of the ring. He sends him crashing into the ring post, causing the disqualification.

Winners: Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and Randy Orton (via disqualification)

After the match, McIntyre looks to hit Zayn with his Undisputed WWE Championship belt. Jacob Fatu's music hits and he sneaks up behind McIntyre. He sends him crashing out of the ring, but Rhodes flies to level Fatu on the outside until McIntyre. Zayn takes out McIntyre in the ring with a Helluva Kick and picks up the Undisputed WWE Championship belt as Rhodes does the same. Breakker delivers a double spear to both Rhodes and Zayn, standing tall as the show goes off the air.