WWE SmackDown Results: Unexpected Title change; Vince McMahon quits; two big debuts

We got a great episode of SmackDown before the Royal Rumble with a big title change, an unexpected debut, and some great segments. Elektra Lopez and Trick Williams made their SmackDown debuts tonight, while Randy Orton, LA Knight, and AJ Styles had a major falling out.

In the middle of SmackDown, reports broke that Vince McMahon had resigned following allegations earlier this week.

• Santos Escobar def. Carlito
• Asuka & Kairi Sane def. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance to become the new Women's Tag Team Champions
• Austin Theory def. Carmelo Hayes
• LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa via DQ

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WWE SmackDown kicked off with Michael Cole introducing the show before we saw the women's tag champ show up to the arena, as well as Asuka and Kairi Sane. Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman, and Jimmy Uso were also backstage before rapper Eladio Carrión was in the ring and introduced Randy Orton, who made his entrance.

Randy got on the mic and said that nobody could stop The Bloodline except for him. Orton said that he was going to become a 15-time world champ at the Royal Rumble with the RKO before AJ Styles made his entrance. AJ said that Randy should not be looking past him and recalled their history together before LA Knight came out as well.

Knight told AJ and Randy that Paul Heyman booked a match with him against Solo Sikoa tonight since LA was Roman's biggest threat. Knight mocked Solo and said that he would be the next champion before walking out as AJ attacked Randy. AJ took Orton out with a Pele Kick before we headed for the first match of the night.

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WWE SmackDown Results (January 26, 2024): Santos Escobar vs. Carlito

Carlito had things in control as the match began and slammed Escobar head-first into the turnbuckles. The Legado del Fantasma interfered, and Carlito went down at ringside as we headed for a break.

Back on SmackDown, Escobar was in control and got an armbar on the ropes before Carlito came back with a vertical suplex and the Final Cut followed by a spinebuster.

Elektra Lopez showed up and attacked Zelina Vega during the match before joining the Legado del Fantasma at ringside. The distraction allowed Escobar to roll Carlito up with the folding press and pick up the win.

Result: Santos Escobar def. Carlito

Grade: B

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Backstage, Jimmy Uso told AJ Styles to help take out LA Knight tonight before the OC showed up. The OC asked AJ what Jimmy wanted, but Styles told them not to worry about it and walked off.

We learned during a break that Vince McMahon had reportedly quit WWE and the TKO network.

Nick Aldis and the new NXT General Manager Ava Raine were backstage as Bobby Lashley and then Santos Escobar came in to pick their entry numbers, followed by R-Truth, who called Aldis "Adam Pearce."

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Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (c) vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane - WWE Women's Tag Team Title match on SmackDown

The champs had control of the match and sent Asuka and Sane outside before Katana hit a big diving plancha. Back after a break on SmackDown, Carter hit a big dive to the outside as well before taking both challengers down with a dropkick and a splash.

The challengers got a near fall off some strikes before Kairi went up top for the elbow drop, but Carter got her feet up, and Sane hurt her elbow. Asuka was tagged in and took a facebuster before the champs hit her with a kegstand for a near fall.

Carter and Chance hit the afterparty, but Kairi took Chance outside and drove her to the announce desk. Asuka got a kick on Carter in the ring before Sane came back and hit the insane elbow for the win!

Result: Asuka & Kairi Sane def. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance to become the new Women's Tag Team Champions

Grade: B+

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Paul Heyman was backstage and told Solo Sikoa to 'fix' a problem before advising Jimmy Uso that he needed to win the Royal Rumble so that he could take on the injured Seth Rollins and win the Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania.

Bianca Belair was backstage picking a number for the Rumble before Bayley showed up and did the same.

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Bobby Lashley was out next and called out Karrion Kross, telling him to stop hiding and face them. Karrion came out with his group, and Scarlett got in the ring before Bobby told them to stop playing games.

Ellering said that Kross did not have fear before Karrion took the mic and said that Lashley and the Profits looked desperate. He said that Lashley wasn't getting a fight tonight, but Bobby said that they were, as the Profits attacked the Last Testament.

The Street Profits were wiped out before Scarlett attacked Bobby in the ring and clawed at his eyes. AOP got in the ring and assisted Kross in taking out Lashley with the Kross Hammer.

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Jimmy Uso picked his Rumble entry and looked disappointed as he said 'no yeet' and left.

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Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory on WWE SmackDown

Hayes got a big dropkick early on before hitting some chops in the corner and a springboard takedown. The match headed outside, and Waller came in with a cheap shot while the ref was distracted.

Theory was in control when we came back from the break and tried for the A-Town Down, but Melo managed to reverse it. The two traded roll-ups before Theory got the win with a rope-assisted pin.

Waller and Theory attacked Melo after the match, and Trick Williams came out to save the day. Williams tossed Waller and Theory out of the ring before telling Melo that he did so because they have the Dusty Cup finals at NXT Vengeance Day.

Result: Austin Theory def. Carmelo Hayes

Grade: B

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Eladio Carrión was backstage when Solo and the gang came in to threaten him, but then Paul told them to back off at the last second as we headed for the main event.

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Solo Sikoa vs. LA Knight on WWE SmackDown

Solo unloaded on Knight right off the bat before LA came back with a spear through the ropes and stomped on his arm. Knight was working over Solo's right arm to neutralize the spike and sent him head-first into the ring post outside.

Back after a break, Knight got some big strikes and a DDT after dodging the spike. Knight drove Solo into the announce desk before getting a running knee to the head. AJ Styles came in with a Phenomenal Forearm from the barricades and took Knight out, ending the match via DQ.

Result: LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa via DQ

Styles got some steel chairs, and so did Jimmy Uso and Solo, but The Bloodline backed off, and Solo asked AJ to take care of it. AJ attacked The Bloodline instead before Randy came in and fought Solo at ringside, dropping him on the announce desk.

Randy dragged Jimmy into the ring and hit the draping DDT before Styles came back and took the DDT as well. Styles took an RKO for good measure before posing in the ring. Just as SmackDown was about to go off the air, LA Knight caught Randy in the ring with the Blunt Force Trauma, taking him out.

Grade: B+