LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 16: New Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre enters the ring during SmackDown at OVO Arena Wembley on January 16, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
HIGHLIGHTS
- A Fatal 4-Way match will determine Drew McIntyre’s first challenger as Undisputed WWE Champion.
- One superstar has a compelling case to win based on location and storyline momentum.
- WWE’s 2026 PLE calendar is already stacked with major stadium shows on the horizon.
After another strong episode of SmackDown from London, expectations are high heading into the final week before Saturday Night’s Main Event and looking ahead to the Royal Rumble.
All signs point to Drew McIntyre carrying the title into the Royal Rumble, but his first real challenger is beginning to take shape. Here’s everything we know about SNME.
What’s the Confirmed Card for Saturday Night’s Main Event?
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIII takes place on Saturday, January 24, 2026, from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, airing live in the U.S. on Peacock.
After the January 16 episode of SmackDown, WWE has confirmed two matches for the next SNME. Both are a pretty big deal.
No. 1 Contender’s Fatal 4-Way – Undisputed WWE Championship
- Randy Orton vs. Trick Williams vs. Damian Priest vs. Sami Zayn
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
- © Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY vs. Liv Morgan & Roxanne Perez
All four men won qualifying matches on SmackDown.
The winner challenges Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh on January 31.
There will likely be at least two more matches added to the card and a potential Trish Stratus return.
Why Many Believe Sami Zayn Will Win the Fatal 4-Way
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 16: Sami Zayn with a Helluva Kick to Ilja Dragunov during SmackDown at OVO Arena Wembley on January 16, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
Most people I have spoken to and read seem to have Zayn circled as the sentimental and storyline favorite to leave Montreal as the No. 1 contender.
The Bell Centre will be rocking for Sami, but remember, WWE sent an arena home sad last month when John Cena tapped tp Gunther in his retirement match. Translation: they don’t care about your sentimental favorites.
Zayn seemingly has momentum from a brutal qualifier against Ilja Dragunov, the man who beat him for the US title. The match and the commentary was chock full of Sami survives messages which suggest there is a story being built around him. I’m not convinced.
With McIntyre freshly crowned as Undisputed Champion and the Rumble event set in a massive outdoor venue in Riyadh, a Drew vs. Zayn title match could be epic. But I still think WWE will want more longstanding hype behind Sami before putting the belt on him.
Don’t sleep on Orton. He brings legacy star power and at some point it appears another title reign is coming for The Viper.
Priest represents Judgment Day and a potential shock win. Don’t bet on that. Williams has breakout-star buzz, but it is not his time yet.
What Is the Rest of WWE’s Confirmed PLE Calendar for 2026?
WWE’s 2026 Premium Live Event schedule is already locked in, giving Saturday Night’s Main Event a clear place on the Road to WrestleMania. Here’s what’s confirmed:
Royal Rumble 2026: Saturday, January 31, 2026 – King Abdullah Financial District, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Elimination Chamber 2026: Saturday, February 28, 2026 – Chicago, Illinois
WrestleMania 42: Saturday, April 18 & Sunday, April 19, 2026 – Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
SummerSlam 2026: Saturday, August 1 & Sunday, August 2, 2026 – U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Money in the Bank 2026: Sunday, September 6, 2026 – Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Those shows and additional SNME could still to be announced.
I’m loving the new three-hour format for SmackDown and quite honestly, I’m beginning to think Raw should follow suit and go back to three hours. We will see if Netflix and WWE agree, but so far so good for the blue brand.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2026/01/17/wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-date-and-updated-card/
