{"id":32026,"date":"2026-01-03T01:44:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wwe-smackdown-kicks-off-2026-with-stunning-returns-and-randy-orton-leaves-the-miz-absolutely-destroyed\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T01:44:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:44:58","slug":"65999-wwe-smackdown-drops-major-roster-moves-as-randy-orton-returns-damian-priest-domi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/65999-wwe-smackdown-drops-major-roster-moves-as-randy-orton-returns-damian-priest-domi\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE SmackDown kicks off 2026 with stunning returns and Randy Orton leaves The Miz absolutely destroyed"},"content":{"rendered":"

WWE SmackDown<\/b> kicks off 2026 with major roster shakeups and dramatic returns. Randy Orton<\/b> makes his highly anticipated comeback on the first SmackDown of the new year. Damian Priest<\/b> dominates in his first-ever ambulance match. Plus, a new U.S. Champion<\/b> is crowned in shocking fashion.<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udd25 Quick Facts<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Randy Orton returns<\/b> on January 2, 2026 to confront The Miz<\/b> with two RKOs<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Damian Priest wins historic first-ever ambulance match<\/b> against Aleister Black<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Giulia defeats Chelsea Green<\/b> to win the Women’s United States Championship<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Matt Cardona and Trick Williams officially join SmackDown roster<\/b> in major signings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    Randy Orton’s Historic Return Shocks the World<\/h2>\n

    The Viper<\/b> made his long-awaited return to WWE SmackDown<\/b> on January 2, 2026, after an extended absence from in-ring competition. Orton<\/b> appeared on the first episode of SmackDown<\/b> in the new year, generating an enormous reaction from the live crowd in Buffalo.<\/p>\n

    The veteran wrestler wasted little time making an impact by interrupting The Miz<\/b> and dropping the brazen opponent with not one but two RKO<\/b> finishers. Orton’s<\/b> return marks a significant moment for WWE<\/b> heading into 2026, signaling his readiness to compete at the highest level once again.<\/p>\n

    Damian Priest Dominates in First-Ever Ambulance Match<\/h2>\n

    Damian Priest<\/b> made WWE SmackDown<\/b> history by winning the sport’s first-ever ambulance match<\/b> against Aleister Black<\/b> on January 2. The grueling encounter saw Priest<\/b> showcase his dominance throughout the contest, forcing Black<\/b> into the vehicle and closing the door to secure victory.<\/p>\n

    The match represented a brutal turning point in the rivalry between the two competitors. Priest<\/b> punished Black<\/b> with his finisher, the Razor’s Edge<\/b>, before loading his opponent into the ambulance. The victory positions Priest<\/b> as a major player heading into the rest of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Match Highlight<\/td>\nDetails<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Match Type<\/td>\nFirst-Ever Ambulance Match in SmackDown History<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Winner<\/td>\nDamian Priest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Defeated<\/td>\nAleister Black<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Finishing Move<\/td>\nRazor’s Edge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

    Giulia Reclaims Women’s United States Championship<\/h2>\n

    Giulia<\/b> returned to championship status by defeating Chelsea Green<\/b> in their title match on WWE SmackDown’s<\/b> January 2 episode. The victory marks Giulia’s<\/b> record-tying second reign with the prestigious Women’s United States Championship<\/b>, according to official records.<\/p>\n

    Green<\/b> had fought valiantly to defend her title, but Giulia<\/b> proved too dominant in the contest. The title change represents the first championship victory of 2026 for SmackDown<\/b> and sets the stage for Giulia<\/b> to defend her newly reclaimed title against top challengers throughout the year.<\/p>\n

    Major Free Agent Signings Reshape SmackDown Roster<\/h2>\n

    Matt Cardona<\/b> officially joined the WWE SmackDown<\/b> roster on January 2, marking a major free agent signing for the brand. Cardona<\/b> wasted no time making his presence felt by defeating Kit Wilson<\/b> in his debut match on the show.<\/p>\n

    Trick Williams<\/b> also made the official transition to SmackDown<\/b>, further bolstering the roster with fresh talent. These signings highlight WWE’s<\/b> commitment to strengthening the brand with proven competitors entering 2026. The move signals significant roster competition and new storylines for the coming months.<\/p>\n

    What Does This Mean for WWE’s 2026 Direction?<\/h2>\n

    The January 2 edition of WWE SmackDown<\/b> established a powerful tone for the new year with its combination of returning stars, historic matches, and championship changes. Randy Orton’s<\/b> comeback adds an experienced hand to the roster, while Priest’s<\/b> dominant victory positions him as a major threat moving forward.<\/p>\n

    The addition of Cardona<\/b> and Williams<\/b> creates new matchup possibilities and deepens the talent pool on SmackDown<\/b>. With Giulia<\/b> reclaiming the Women’s United States Championship<\/b> and fresh faces establishing themselves, the brand appears poised for compelling programming throughout 2026. Fans can expect these moves to have significant ripple effects on WWE’s<\/b> card and storytelling for months to come.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Watch: Full SmackDown Highlights<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

    Sources<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • WWE Official<\/b> – Complete match results and official announcements<\/li>\n
    • Wrestling Inc.<\/b> – Breaking news coverage and event details<\/li>\n
    • Forbes Wrestling<\/b> – Comprehensive results analysis and reporting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":32025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"schema_org_data":"{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Randy Orton\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/1vNbHy35sXO3RPZLw29ATOdE7yJ.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/151043\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Erena Mizusawa\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/t8KEWDzeCge6JXYHg5ISYWvWjKe.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/1377078\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Luis Martinez\",\"image\":\"https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/t\/p\/w500\/7SFDHneUnbTVbtlN90tKPHIbrVB.jpg\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/person\/1957131\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Tom 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After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.","url":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/author\/jessica-morrison\/"}]}},"views":153,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32026\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}