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WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event: Montreal – When Is It?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steven Harrison | Last updated Jan 11, 2026 8:39 PM ET

I remember when WWE revived Saturday Night’s Main Event in 2006 as a lead-in to WrestleMania 22. It felt genuinely special. The roster was stacked with the era’s biggest stars—John Cena, Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Shawn Michaels, and Kurt Angle—and even featured “Stone Cold” Steve Austin defeating JBL in a Beer Drinking Contest.

Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t last. Only four SNME specials aired between that revival and the show’s return in the modern era.

Since coming back in December 2024, however, WWE has clearly repositioned Saturday Night’s Main Event as must-see television. It may not be branded as a premium live event, but it’s treated like one. John Cena’s final match took place on SNME, and it was arguably the most important match of all of 2025.

While fans are still debating the controversial ending to Cena’s farewell bout, attention now turns to what’s next: Saturday Night’s Main Event 43.

This edition will air live from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec—yes, the same building forever linked to the Montreal Screwjob. In an arena that still echoes with Bret Hart’s legacy, Canada’s famously passionate fanbase will gather for a consequential night in WWE’s calendar.

The event will be preceded the night before by SmackDown: Montreal, also from the Bell Centre. WWE is currently in the middle of a nearly month-long international tour that will culminate one week later at Royal Rumble: Riyadh. All signs point to SNME 43 serving as a major Rumble tune-up.

What Is the Saturday Night’s Main Event 43 Card?

So far, WWE has announced one match for the show, with more expected to be added throughout the week.

Fatal Four-Way Matchto determine the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship
The winner will face Drew McIntyre at the Royal Rumble. The four participants will be decided via qualifying matches on the January 16 edition of SmackDown: London. Randy Orton vs. The Miz Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov