WWE SmackDown Jan 2: Three Stages of Hell Reveal Tonight

Let's break down what WWE has advertised for the first SmackDown of the new year.

Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black - Ambulance Match

This feud desperately needs to end, and thankfully, WWE seems ready to put it to bed.

Priest and Black have been going at it for -- too dang long. The intensity escalated after Black laid out Priest with a shovel in a backstage attack.

The Terror Twins—Priest and Rhea Ripley—got some measure of revenge recently when they took out Black and Zelina Vega in tag action, but clearly that wasn't enough to settle things.

An Ambulance Match means no disqualifications and no count-outs. The only way to win is to stuff your opponent into an ambulance and close the doors.

With no DQ rules in play, don't be shocked if someone else gets involved to set up the next program.

Whoever loses gets carted out in an ambulance, which typically writes them off television for a bit. That's probably the freshest thing about this feud at this point.

8-Woman Tag Team Match: Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY vs. The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax & Lash Legend

WWE's women's division gets a showcase spot with this multi-team collision.

The match stems from a backstage segment last week where Ripley and Sky were chatting with Bliss and Flair when Jax and Legend crashed the party. Things got heated when WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors—Asuka and Kairi Sane—joined the fray, prompting SmackDown GM Nick Aldis to make this match official.

This one's loaded with storyline implications. Ripley and Sky have been chasing the Women's Tag Team Championships for weeks, while Jax remains a constant presence in the title picture.

Throw in Charlotte's star power, Alexa's return to form, and Legend's rising stock, and you've got a match that could set the table for multiple WrestleMania season programs.

With this many moving parts, expect chaos. Eight women with distinct agendas rarely results in a clean finish. The Kabuki Warriors get a chance to look dominant, while the babyface squad needs to prove they can coexist.

Giulia vs. Chelsea Green - Women's United States Championship

After nearly two months of waiting, Giulia finally gets her rematch.

Chelsea Green won the Women's US Title from Giulia on the November 7 episode of SmackDown, but she didn't exactly do it cleanly. Green put her feet on the ropes for leverage—a classic heel move that the referee somehow missed.

Now the former champion gets another crack at reclaiming the gold she never truly lost.

Giulia enters with momentum after pinning Green in a tag team match on the final SmackDown of 2025. That should give her confidence, but Green has proven to be a crafty champion who'll do whatever it takes to retain.

Don't expect Green to suddenly develop a sense of fair play just because it's a new year.

This match matters for the division's hierarchy. Giulia represents WWE's commitment to bringing in international talent and pushing them at a high level. Green, meanwhile, has become one of the most entertaining heels on the roster with her social media antics and in-ring cunning.

Jade Cargill vs. Michin

WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill defends her title—oh wait, this is non-title. But there's a stipulation: if Michin wins, she earns a future championship match.

Here's where things get interesting. Multiple reports suggest Michin suffered an injury during WWE's Holiday Tour earlier this week, which could throw this match into question.

If Michin can't compete, the rumor mill is buzzing about Tiffany Stratton making her return to replace her.

That would make perfect sense. Stratton and Cargill have unfinished business from earlier in 2025, and The Buff Barbie is overdue for her return to SmackDown.

Cargill has been a dominant champion, but her reign needs fresh challengers. Stratton brings star power and a ready-made rivalry that the crowd is already invested in.

Keep an eye on this one. Even if Michin is cleared to compete, don't be surprised if Stratton shows up anyway to make a statement.

Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre Reveal Three Stages of Hell Stipulations

Next week in Berlin, Germany, Cody Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in a Three Stages of Hell match. Tonight, they reveal what the three stipulations will be.

For those unfamiliar, Three Stages of Hell is a best-two-out-of-three falls match where each fall has a different stipulation. The first person to win two falls walks away victorious.

Tonight's announcement will set up just the sixth Three Stages of Hell match in WWE history and the first since Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole tore the house down at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in 2019.

The very first Three Stages of Hell match happened at No Way Out 2001 when Stone Cold Steve Austin went to war with Triple H. That original bout featured a standard wrestling match, a street fight, and finished inside a steel cage.

McIntyre earned the right to choose the match type and venue after meeting with Nick Aldis following Saturday Night's Main Event. The Scottish Psychopath has been vocal about getting screwed out of multiple title opportunities, and he wanted to ensure this match happens on his terms—far away from Cody's home country.

Last week's segment ended with McIntyre telling Rhodes to "say hi to your dad in hell" before dropping him with a Claymore Kick. That level of personal heat suggests we're in for something brutal.

History suggests a standard wrestling match for the first fall, followed by increasingly violent stipulations. Previous matches have included street fights, steel cages, table matches, and lumberjack matches. Given the bad blood and tonight's Ambulance Match, don't be shocked if that's one of the stages.

This segment should dominate the final hour and set the stage for next week's championship bout in Berlin.

Randy Orton's Return?

While WWE hasn't officially advertised Randy Orton for tonight's show, his name appeared on WWE.com's preview, and the KeyBank Center in Buffalo is selling Orton merchandise.

Orton has been out of action since October. A return tonight would allow WWE to set up a program for him heading into WrestleMania 42.

If Orton does show up, expect a monster pop from the Buffalo crowd.

Final Thoughts

SmackDown's return to three hours is a double-edged sword, but WWE has loaded tonight's card with meaningful matches and segments.

The Ambulance Match should deliver violence. The 8-woman tag has chaos potential. The Women's US Title match establishes division hierarchy. And the Rhodes/McIntyre segment could steal the show.

Add in the possibility of Randy Orton's return and Tiffany Stratton's comeback, and you've got a show worth tuning in for. The company has been building solid momentum since Survivor Series WarGames, and tonight continues that trend heading into the most important part of the year.

How to Watch WWE SmackDown

Date: Friday, January 2, 2026
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT
Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
Network: USA Network (United States), Netflix (International)