• New Champions Crowned On “Stranger Things” WWE RAW (Video)
Tonight’s Stranger Things edition of RAW, which is the one-year Netflix anniversary episode, kicked off with Michael Cole and Corey Graves promoting the Stranger Things theme.
The first match of the night was The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) defending the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Rhiyo (Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY).
This is Rhea’s first tag team title match in 4 years. During the match, Corey mentioned Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement on commentary, as IYO SKY paid tribute to the NJPW Legend with a slingblade.
In the end, Rhea and IYO put away Asuka and Kairi to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Adam Pearce congratulated them backstage.
RHIYO WIN THE GOLD 🔥
What a moment for @RheaRipley_WWE and @Iyo_SkyWWE pic.twitter.com/2XTUJZtpjT
— WWE (@WWE) January 6, 2026
A moment these two will never forget 🫶 pic.twitter.com/qD9H9wvFjx
— WWE (@WWE) January 6, 2026
Rhea is now a 2-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, as she previously held the title with Nikki A.S.H.
On the other hand, IYO is now a 3-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, as she previously held the title twice with Dakota Kai. Overall, she’s now a 4-time Tag Team Champion in WWE, as she also held the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship once with Zoey Stark.
• SmackDown Star Is In Concussion Protocol
PWInsider has confirmed that SmackDown wrestler B-Fab suffered a concussion during the WWE Holiday Tour stop in Syracuse on January 1st. She has since been placed into WWE’s concussion protocol.
B-Fab was injured while working a match against WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill, prompting WWE to adjust the remaining dates. Bayley was brought in to take her place and finish the tour opposite Cargill.
The situation follows another recent injury. Michin was sidelined last week after suffering a shoulder injury during a match against Cargill.
• Real Reason USA Network Wants SmackDown To Be 3 Hours
WWE SmackDown returned to a three-hour format on USA Network this past Friday, but the expanded runtime is not expected to be permanent. Bryan Alvarez reports that the current plan mirrors what WWE and the network did last year. SmackDown ran three hours for the early portion of 2025 before shifting back to its traditional two-hour format, and Alvarez believes the same approach is being applied again in 2026.
Alvarez noted that comments made during the broadcast itself suggested the move was intentional but temporary, describing it as an annual pattern rather than a long-term change. He added that he had been told ahead of time that the three-hour format was only expected to last through the first part of the year.
According to Alvarez, the extended SmackDown is part of a broader programming strategy. USA Network is once again looking to use SmackDown as a strong lead-in while developing another show aimed at wrestling fans for the latter half of the year.
He referenced past attempts to pair SmackDown with adjacent programming, including projects tied to Braun Strowman (called “Everything on the Menu with Braun Strowman”), and said the network appears to be searching for a similar concept to follow SmackDown once it returns to two hours.
By getting fans used to the 3-hour SmackDown format, USA Network intends to make the fans stick around for another hour for another show, as the Braun Strowman show after SmackDown last year was considered a viewership success.
