SmackDown Recap: A Holiday Hangover, A New Champ, and One Very Angry Scotsman
If you were hoping WWE would coast into the New Year with a throwaway episode of SmackDown, Grand Rapids had other plans. The final blue brand show of 2025 felt less like a curtain call for the year and more like a warning shot for 2026.
We got festive beatdowns, confusing stipulations, and a title change that absolutely nobody saw coming, okay, maybe a few of you die-hards called it. Let’s break down the chaos, the glory, and the baffling decisions from the Dec. 26 edition of SmackDown.
The U.S. Title Picture Just Got Interesting
Let’s start with the headline grabber. Ilja Dragunov, a man whose wrestling style can be best described as “violent art,” finally met his match. And it wasn’t a legend or a monster. It was Carmelo Hayes. Look, Dragunov’s reign has been a masterclass in intensity. The guy wrestles like he’s trying to pay off a loan shark by the end of the bell. But Hayes?
He proved he belongs at the SmackDown table tonight. The match was a spectacle. We’re talking mid-air cutter reversals and counter-wrestling that made my brain hurt just watching it. The sequence where Hayes turned a Coast-to-Coast attempt into the “First 48” was poetry in motion.
Hayes winning the United States Championship feels like a changing of the guard. It’s a massive vote of confidence from the SmackDown higher-ups, and honestly? It was the right call. Dragunov is freed up for bigger fish (world title picture, anyone?), and Melo gets to run with the ball.
Drew McIntyre Is Playing 4D Chess (Or Maybe Just Checkers)
Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes faced off again, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. McIntyre, embracing his inner villain with frightening ease, finally announced the stipulation for their upcoming bout in Berlin.
We’re getting a Three Stages of Hell Match. Now, I love a good SmackDown gimmick match as much as the next guy, but giving McIntyre the power to choose the location and the stipulation feels like the front office lost a bet. Strategically, though? It’s brilliant for Drew.
If he fails, he can blame the gauntlet. If he wins, he’s a god. But let’s be real: this segment was less about the announcement and more about Drew baiting Cody. The Scotsman is doing some of the best character work of his career right now, even if the logic of his getting to call all the shots is a bit shaky.
The Miz Got Jingle-Belled
You knew it was coming. It’s the holiday episode of SmackDown. Someone had to get hit with a Christmas tree. This year, the sacrificial lamb was The Miz. Joe Hendry’s main roster introduction has been… unique. Opening the show with a musical number roasting
The Miz is the kind of cheese everyone tunes in for. The resulting “Miracle on 34th Street Fight” was pure, unadulterated nonsense, and I loved every second of it. We had elves, we had tables, we had R-Truth dressed as the Easter Bunny hitting a Five Knuckle Shuffle.
Was it a technical masterpiece? No. Was it entertaining seeing Miz get battered by a platoon of holiday characters? Absolutely. Hendry getting the win via a table spot was the cherry on top. It’s silly, it’s fun, and everything that a post-Christmas show should be.
The Women’s Division: A Mixed Bag
We need to talk about Charlotte Flair vs. Lash Legend. On paper, this should have been a torch-passing moment. Legend has been built up as an absolute powerhouse. So, naturally, she loses via… a roll-up?
Come on. That finish felt flatter than day-old soda. Legend needed a statement win here to cement her status. Flair losing cleanly wouldn’t hurt her legacy one bit—she’s Charlotte Flair. Protecting her at the expense of a rising star feels like a missed opportunity.
Elsewhere, Giulia and Kiana James picked up a win over Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. It was a solid showcase for James, who is quietly becoming one of the most reliable workers in the division. But again, the booking feels like it’s treading water. Let’s hope 2026 brings some clearer direction for these ladies.
The Future Is Now: Maybe?
The most intriguing parts of the SmackDown night didn’t even happen in the ring. We saw teasers for NXT standouts making moves. Trick Williams showing up to stare down Cody Rhodes? That’s money. The kid has charisma for days. And an Oba Femi vignette? Be afraid. Be very afraid.WWE is clearly looking to inject some fresh blood into the main roster, and if these teases are any indication, the “New Era” isn’t just a marketing slogan.
The Verdict
Grand Rapids got a SmackDown show that was better than it had any right to be. We got a fantastic title change, some festive hilarity, and enough plot movement to keep us hooked for January. It wasn’t perfect, but for a holiday hangover show? I’ll take it. Score: 7/10
