John Cena’s farewell tour best symbolized WWE in 2025.
The year began with hope and promise before it saw its share of disappointing and polarizing moments. But along the way were undeniable highs — great matches and unforgettable moments worthy of “This is Awesome” chants.
As 2026 approaches, though, WWE fans have a lot to look forward to right away. Officially, January has one premium live event, the Royal Rumble. In reality, the year is set to open with a run of stacked shows that feel like PLEs
themselves — just with commercials sprinkled between the action.
Author’s Note: This article contains spoilers for upcoming WWE programming. Reader discretion is advised.
Raw Jan. 5
WWE kicks off its first full week of the new year with a celebration, as this episode marks the first anniversary of Raw on Netflix. Much like last year’s edition, which felt like a PLE, this show is shaping up to deliver that same big-event energy.
The past and present collide with the future as World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk defends his title against Bron Breakker. Breakker pinned Punk at Survivor Series: WarGames — thanks to help from a masked man, who has since been revealed as Austin Theory — to earn this championship opportunity.
Since then, the rivalry has turned deeply personal, with both men invoking each other’s families in fiery promos. Beneath the animosity lies a bigger question about WWE’s direction.
Survivor Series hinted at a youth movement, as Breakker, Dominik Mysterio, and Stephanie Vaquer all emerged victorious at the final PLE of 2025. A Breakker win would send a clear message: WWE’s future is now.
A Punk victory, however, would keep the old guard standing a little longer. That extension could run through WrestleMania, where proven star power and marquee matchups will be crucial to filling Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium for two straight nights for the second year in a row.
On the undercard, Becky Lynch looks to reclaim the Women’s Intercontinental Championship from Maxxine Dupri as she fights her way back to prominence. Finally, a longstanding personal feud could come to a head as Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky battle the Kabuki Warriors for the women’s tag team titles.
NXT New Year’s Evil Jan. 6
Oba Femi was NXT’s most dominant force in 2025, holding the NXT Championship for nearly 300 days across two reigns. At New Year’s Evil, he faces a new opponent but a familiar challenge.
TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater earned the title shot by winning a Fatal 4-Way last Tuesday after Iron Survivor winner Je’Von Evans cashed in his opportunity earlier than expected and failed.
Slater shares Evans’ high-flying, innovative style — and similar size. Femi has proven he can deliver thrilling, believable matches against such a wrestler. Against Evans’ TNA counterpart, this showdown should be no different.
Unlike Evans, women’s Iron Survivor winner Kendal Grey chose to wait until New Year’s Evil for her NXT Women’s Championship opportunity. The WWE Evolve Women’s Champion challenges Jacy Jayne, a champion who always seems on the brink of defeat yet repeatedly finds a way — often by nefarious means — to retain the gold.
Of all the matches that week, this may be the sleeper. Grey, who will celebrate two years as a pro in 2026, already looks main-roster ready, making an upset entirely plausible. Still, Jayne’s survival instincts suggest this one won’t be decided until the final fall.
SmackDown Jan. 9
According to the spoilers for this week’s episode of SmackDown, the blue brand will close WWE’s opening week of 2026 with a bang.
Drew McIntyre will challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in a Three Stages of Hell Match. Expect escalating chaos: a standard wrestling match in the opening fall, followed by increasingly brutal stipulations in the second and most likely third fall.
In theory, this should conclude the pair’s months-long rivalry, which has seen Rhodes survive by the skin of his teeth with disputed finishes. The only way this feud might continue is if McIntyre wins the title from Rhodes, a likely scenario given what comes later in January.
Saturday Night’s Main Event, Royal Rumble
WWE continues the trend it began in 2025 of stacking major cards back-to-back. With the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event, the company has frequently been tasked with building PLE-level lineups either weeks before or immediately after a premium live event.
In January, the Peacock-exclusive Saturday Night’s Main Event airs on Jan. 24, followed by the Royal Rumble on Jan. 31. Roughly half of the Rumble card is already set with the two Royal Rumble matches. The rest of the show will likely take shape at Saturday Night’s Main Event and on the weekly shows leading into it.
In 2025, WWE wasn’t receptive to fan criticism, to put it kindly. Regardless of the feedback from either side over the past 12 months, one thing is certain: 2026 is poised for a strong start, as January delivers five high-caliber events that promise to capture fans’ attention and set the tone for the year ahead.
