WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Jan. 19
The march to Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 27 continued Friday night on SmackDown, with the contract signing for Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns' defense against AJ Styles, LA Knight, and Randy Orton headlining an explosive Fox broadcast.
Elsewhere, United States Champion Logan Paul returned, guest starring on The Kevin Owens Show with his Rumble challenger.
What else went down, how did it affect the top feuds and Superstars ahead of the first premium live event of 2024, and how did each segment grade out?
Find out with this recap of the January 19 episode.
Match Card
1 of 9Announced in advance for the January 19 episode were:
- Contract signing for the Fatal 4-Way Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble featuring Roman Reigns, LA Knight, Randy Orton and AJ Styles
- The KO Show with United States Champion Logan Paul
- Randy Orton vs. Solo Sikoa
- Butch and Tyler Bate vs. Pretty Deadly
- Women's Tag Team Championship Match: Kayden Carter and Katana Chance vs. The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn)
- LWO (Carlito, Cruz Del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde) vs. Santos Escobar, Angel Garza, and Humberto Carrillo
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Contract Signing
2 of 9
A dismayed Roman Reigns kicked off SmackDown, informing Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa that he was back to fix what they did not. Sikoa vowed to fix it. "I'll fix everything."
Inside the sold-out State Farm Arena, LA Knight, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton all entered the arena and signed the contract for their Royal Rumble title match against The Tribal Chief, only for Paul Heyman to inform them and SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis that Reigns will not be signing the contract tonight.
Aldis threatened to strip Reigns of the title, Styles, and Knight came to blows, and Orton threatened Heyman with an RKO to close out the segment.
This was a hot segment that fired the crowd up and set the stage for a potential match between Styles and Knight, presumably as soon as tonight if the pull-apart brawl was any indication.
Heyman, as always, was fantastic with his facial expressions while Knight's popularity refuses to wane, a great sign for him and
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- "The YEAH Movement is alive and well," Kevin Patrick said upon Knight's arrival, a funny play on Daniel Bryan's old "YES" Movement.
- Styles' bitterness over Knight jumping him in line for a shot at Reigns continues to define what has been an otherwise loosely written character arc.
LWO vs. Santos Escobar, Angel, and Humberto
3 of 9
Cartlito's obsession with revenge on Santos Escobar cost him, Cruz Del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde Friday's opening six-man tag against his rival, Angel, and Humberto.
The babyfaces mounted a comeback late, fighting back against Escobar and Co. on the strength of Carlito's fiery barrage. An alert Escobar took advantage of the second-generation star's onslaught and scored the win for his time, leaving Carlito fuming.
The cheap win builds heat for the heels, Carlito has unfinished business with Escobar, and the match was a quality tag match to boot.
Result
Escobar, Angel, and Humberto defeated Carlito, Wilde, and Del Toro
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Right on schedule, Aldis granted Styles a match with Knight.
- Zelina Vega is too good, as both a character and in-ring competitor, to be wasted at ringside.
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate vs. Pretty Deadly
4 of 9
Yes, you read that right.
Wrestling fans rejoiced Friday with the return of Pete Dunne after years of the talented Brit portraying "Butch" of The Brawling Brutes.
The Bruiserweight obliterated Kit Wilson and Elton Prince of Pretty Deadly, punishing them with joint manipulation early and tossing them around the squared circle later, en route to the Bitter End and victory.
This was about as strong a return for Dunne as could have been hoped for, establishing him as a dominant badass capable of picking opponents apart and putting them away. There was no silliness, just an unforgiving beating by one of the best wrestlers in the world.
A return to form, even if it is early on, and a reunion with Tyler Bate was exactly what the gifted worker needed.
Result
Dunne and Bate defeated Pretty Deadly
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Wilson and Prince are such delightfully over-the-top performers that it is no wonder that they have found success on the main roster.
- "Sometimes, you just need a reminder of who you are," Graves said, with a great call of Dunne's return.
- Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits sent a message to Karrion Kross' Final Testament.
The Kevin Owens Show with Logan Paul
5 of 9
WWE dug into the archives to provide heat for the upcoming United States Championship Match between Kevin Owens and Logan Paul Friday night, with the latter reminding his rival of the indignity that he endured at his hands at WrestleMania 37.
From there, a verbal back and forth ensued before Paul left Owens writhing in pain after removing the protective brace on his arm and further damaging the injured limb.
Owens struck out at Paul, giving him his props for learning before reminding him he was protected and was not like any other WWE Superstar. Paul, like Jack Nicholson's Joker in Batman, blamed Owens for making him the competitor he is today.
We know the motivation for both men, which will only help enhance the investment from the fans in the match.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Paul produced a clip from WrestleMania 37 in Tampa in which Owens hit him with a stunner, claiming it was the moment he had to prove to him and the WWE Universe he belonged there.
- "You put in the work and you became way better...way better...at this than anyone would have ever thought. As good as you are, you're certainly not one of us," Owens said.
- "You are protected. You are sheltered," Owens told Paul, citing that protection as the reason that he cannot say what he wants about the champion.
Women's Tag Team Title Match: Katana Chance and Kayden Carter vs. Unholy Union
6 of 9
Katana Chance and Kayden Carter successfully retained their Women's Tag Team Championship over Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn as WWE continued to highlight a division Triple H and the creative team appear dedicated to enhancing.
The match was solid enough but the crowd struggled to invest, thanks in large part to the fact that Fyre and Dawn were not seen on television since they popped up from out of nowhere on the December 22 episode.
Instead, the focus here was on Bayley and Damage CTRL at ringside as Asuka and Kairi Sane prepared to challenge for the titles.
Result
Chance and Carter defeated Dawn and Fyre to retain
Grade
C
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Shouldn't Damage CTRL have wanted revenge against the Unholy Union for costing them the Miracle on 34th Street Fight?
- This could have benefited from more time and a little more focus on the challengers entering the contest.
- Kross and The Final Testament responded to Lashley and The Street Profits' challenge, offering to meet them next week.
- Austin Theory and Grayson Waller interrupted a Carmelo Hayes interview with Cathy Kelley, with a rematch from a week ago announced for next week.
AJ Styles vs. LA Knight
7 of 9
AJ Styles and LA Knight picked up where they left off earlier in the night, delivering an intense little match that highlighted the dislike between them, born of the former's frustration with his opponent for "walking over him" to get to Reigns.
Unfortunately, it came to an abrupt end with a distraction from Uso that allowed Sikoa to wipe out both Knight and Styles.
The match was called off and the heels demanded Randy Orton come to the ring for the main event.
Result
No contest
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- "Here comes a guy who makes everyone jealous: Jimmy Uso!" Graves said.
- The Bloodline getting back on track, getting the better of their foes, when Reigns returns is exactly why he is The Tribal Chief. It is true to the character, which makes the booking that much more effective.
Randy Orton vs. Solo Sikoa
8 of 9
Chaos reigned supreme late in the main event pitting Orton against Sikoa, with planned interference from Jimmy Uso backfiring as Styles and Knight attacked him. The momentary distraction threatened to derail Orton but he, instead, dropped The Enforcer with an RKO for the win.
The Viper dealt some RKOs to his Royal Rumble opponents but fell prey to a Superman Punch from Reigns, who proceeded to finally sign the contract for the January 27 title defense.
His hubris got the best of him, though, as Orton dropped him while charging for a spear with the RKO.
The Apex Predator stood tall to close out the show.
Result
Orton pinned Sikoa
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Sikoa eating the fall after promising to take care of the issues facing The Bloodline should only serve to put him in the sights of Reigns as the teased destruction of the faction continues.
- Orton dropping Reigns as he did is an excellent reminder of how quickly he can strike with the RKO and how fast the historic run of The Head of the Table can come to an end at Royal Rumble.
Overall Grade
9 of 9WWE is at its best when it is booking toward a destination and this last month of shows en route to the Royal Rumble have been stellar. Friday's SmackDown was no different.
From the focus on the four-way program over the Undisputed WWE Universal title to the intensification of the feud between Kevin Owens and Logan Paul and the renewed emphasis on the women's tag division with the inclusion of prospective top contenders Damage CTRL, the show wasted no time in progressing stories and highlighting the most important stars.
Add to that the re-emergence of Pete Dunne, and the short-but-sweet video packages setting up Lashley and The Street Profits vs. The Final Testament next week, and you have building blocks for next week's Royal Rumble Eve show.
The in-ring could be better, but this was an angle-heavy broadcast this week and everything hit.
Grade: B+
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