WWE: Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black in Ambulance Match Set for 1/2/26 WWE SmackDown Show, WWE Reportedly Considering Adding More Road Dates for NXT Shows in 2026, Backstage Update on WWE’s Interest in Danhausen

Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black in Ambulance Match Set for 1/2/26 WWE SmackDown Show

WWE announced one newly updated match for the card of next week’s WWE SmackDown show on January 2, 2026 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

This newly updated match announced was an Ambulance match of Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black.

BREAKING NEWS: @ArcherOfInfamy and @Aleister_Blxck will go one-on-one in an Ambulance Match NEXT WEEK on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/eKlRTnxw9E

— WWE (@WWE) December 27, 2025

Current card for January 2, 2026 WWE SmackDown show:

• Ambulance match – Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black
• Eight-Women Tag Team match – Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Rhea Ripley, & IYO SKY vs. Nia Jax, Lash Legend, & Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane)
• Jade Cargill vs. Michin

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WWE Reportedly Considering Adding More Road Dates for NXT Shows in 2026

WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that WWE NXT officials are currently considering plans to increase their road schedule dates for NXT television show in 2026.

It was reported that those spoken to stated that the emphasis is to get more reps on the road for a lot of their talent on NXT shows.

Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources stated that despite the added road dates, WWE’s Performance Center will still be NXT’s home venue and there are currently no plans to abandon the building entirely for the brand’s weekly TV shows.

The Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez reported that his sources confirmed that NXT officials have been planning to extend their road schedule in 2024 and that this is something that has been planned for a long time. Alvarez reported that NXT holding more TV shows on the road is included in WWE’s television contract with The CW for their NXT brand.

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Backstage Update on WWE’s Interest in Danhausen

As noted before, Danhausen’s contract with AEW is currently set to expire in February of 2026. WWE is currently believed to be “divided” in regards to potentially signing Danhausen to a contract due to him having both his supporters and detractors in the company.

WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that there will be interest from WWE in Danhausen once his contract with AEW expires. One source spoken to reportedly stated that they believe Danhausen would “thrive in the NXT setting.”

In regards to his expiring contract with AEW, it was reported that despite having no intentions to use him again after his surprise return at ROH Final Battle 2024, AEW officials made the decision to extend Danhausen’s contract for injury time after he had requested the company to not extend his deal.