411’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIII Preview

Hello Folx, and welcome to the first preview of 2026! Tonight we are at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIII!

As it’s been for the last six months, I am your host, Hel! And a bit of a short card tonight with only three matches announced. Judgement Day’s Liv Morgan & Roxanne Perez will be trying to take the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship from Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY. AJ Styles takes on Shinsuke Nakamura. Cody Rhodes is seeking revenge on Jacob Fatu for costing him the Undisputed WWE Championship. And a Fatal Four-Way match to determine the #1 Contender to Drew McIntyre and the Undisputed WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble next week!

AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Image Credit: WWE

This match was made on last night’s SmackDown.

Well, we didn’t get Nakamura as Tanahashi’s last opponent, but we will get him as Styles’s possible second-to-last. While their feud in 2018 wasn’t the best, I feel that can be blamed on the booking. When their matches are set up around nut kicks, it takes away some of the fun. I still say Nakamura should have won at WrestleMania 34 as well.

Styles has been in fine form since returning last year, and Nakamura has done a good job whenever he is given a match. It’s almost like time off, and surfing has helped his body recover from years of punishment. So, I’m hoping for something special here tonight. With the possibility of Styles ending his career in one week, I normally would pick Nakamura for the win.

But he doesn’t need it, and giving Styles the win going into the match with Gunther can give him some momentum after losing the tag titles to the Usos and then to Gunther a couple of weeks ago. I expect the match to deliver, maybe not to the heights of their NJPW matches, but at least better than their matches from 2018

Winner: AJ Styles

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships
The Judgement Day (Liv Morgan & Roxanne Perez) vs. RHIYO (Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY)

Image Credit: WWE

Judgment Day won a #1 Contender’s Triple-Threat match on the 1/13 Raw to earn this match.

I don’t see RHIYO losing the title in their first defense. It could happen, but the only way I see that working is if it further pushes Finn out of the Judgement Day. His backup is out with an injury. Liv and Roxanne are going to stick with Dom, and Raquel could go either way. But the more likely finish is some sort of DQ due to the Kabuki Warriors.

The long-term goal would be a possible Women’s TLC match at WrestleMania. With RHIYO vs The Judgement Day vs Kabuki Warriors. With the possible additions of Bliss & Flair, Bayley & Valkyria, and Jax & Legend.

The match itself is possibly the match of the night. You have four of the best women in the company going at it for the Tag Team Championships. Rhea is one of the top three most over wrestlers in the WWE, and IYO is the most talented in-ring performer. Morgan is no slouch and is a huge heat magnet, while Perez is the future of the division.

I’m looking forward to this one, even if it ends in a DQ. It should be a great match, and if my prediction holds, it’s going to set up an even better match down the road.

Winners and still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions: Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY

Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu

Image Credit: WWE

Fatu returned during the Three Stages of Hell Match on the 1/9 episode of SmackDown. He attacked both McIntyre and Rhodes, which allowed McIntyre to sneak out of the cage to win the match. After calling each other out on the 1/16 SmackDown, this match was made official.

I’m excited Fatu is back. He was one of my favorite parts of 2025, and I’m looking for more of the same in 2026. He is just a joy to watch, and he does all the little things right. I fully expect him to be a World Champion by the end of the year. Rhodes is coming off losing the Undisputed WWE Championship and is looking for revenge. A fired-up Rhodes is always fun to watch, and this should be no exception.

I don’t think either man really needs a loss here. Because Fatu just got back and needs to build momentum, and Rhodes is coming off a major loss. Rhodes could handle the loss more, as he is more established than Fatu. But I don’t think either loses here.

I think that a Triple-Threat is on the books for WrestleMania. Fatu vs Rhodes vs McIntyre. With that said, I’m expecting this to end in a double countout or DQ, with Fatu and Rhodes brawling out of the ring and into the back or the crowd. Then they will eliminate each other from the Rumble, with one of them winning the Elimination Chamber and the other getting into the match somehow.

I do think that this match will be a car crash; Fatu is great at bringing the violence and intensity, while Rhodes is great at selling a beating and finding a way to keep going. It’s not going to be a technical classic by any means, but it should be a fun brawl before the no-contest finish.

Winner: No contest

Fatal Four-Way to Determine the #1 Contender to the Undisputed WWE Championship
Damien Priest vs Randy Orton vs Trick Williams vs Sami Zayn

Image Credit: WWE

Nick Aldis made this match on the 1/9 episode of SmackDown, with the qualifiers taking place on the 1/16 episode.

This could go to any of the four men, and I’d be okay with it. Priest has been spinning his wheels in a feud with Black for six months. He needs something to restart his momentum. Orton is the veteran pro who can easily slot into a championship match and have it feel right. Williams is the newest call-up for SmackDown and is looking to prove himself. And Zayn is on a mission for his first World Championship.

The catch is that none of these men will walk out of The Rumble as Undisputed WWE Champion. So, it comes down to who will give McIntyre the best first defense and still tell a good story with a loss?

My answer to that is Sami Zayn. I’ve been predicting a Sami Zayn Royal Rumble win for most of last year. And I think we are going to see a classic underdog fight there. Zayn will win tonight, only to lose to Drew at the Rumble. He will then enter the Rumble and win, but will pick Punk instead. This will allow for the Triple-Threat at WrestleMania for the Undisputed WWE Championship and give Zayn his moment at WrestleMania.

Of course, there is the question of. What about Bron? I never said Zayn would hold the World Championship for a long time. I figure he gets a month or two before Breakker beats him to win his own first World Championship.

With all that said, this should be a good match. All four men are talented and bring a different style to the ring. And I’m expecting an RKO OUTTA NOWHERE on some sort of dive by Williams.

Winner and new #1 Contender: Sami Zayn

Plugs

I don’t use social media, but you can follow me on Spotify, where you’ll find playlists covering every decade from the 1950s to the 2000s. As well as several genre-specific playlists.

Lastly, for those of you in the path of the storm, please stay safe and as warm as possible. I’m supposed to be getting some icy rain and sleet starting tonight and going into tomorrow. I’m hoping it won’t knock out my power, or at least not for very long. To quote Luanna Platter, “Hug your babies tight.”