The landscape of professional wrestling moves fast. If you blinked last Friday, you probably missed a massive title change. Honestly, keeping track of who holds what in WWE is a full-time job these days. As of mid-January 2026, the answer to who is the current WWE champion depends entirely on which show you’re watching and which "world" title you're talking about.
Right now, the man standing at the top of the mountain on the blue brand is Drew McIntyre.
The "Scottish Warrior" just reclaimed the Undisputed WWE Championship in a brutal, career-defining Three Stages of Hell match against Cody Rhodes. This went down on the January 9, 2026, episode of SmackDown, which was actually taped in Berlin. It wasn't just a regular match; it was a physical war that ended the "American Nightmare" era after nearly two years of dominance.
The State of the Heavyweight Division
It’s kinda wild how much the main event scene has changed in the last few months. While McIntyre is the guy on SmackDown, Raw has its own king. CM Punk is currently the World Heavyweight Champion.
Punk’s second reign with this specific version of the title started back in November 2025 at Saturday Night’s Main Event. He stepped into a vacuum left by Seth Rollins, who unfortunately had to vacate the gold due to a legitimate shoulder injury.
Current Top Champions (January 2026)
- Undisputed WWE Champion: Drew McIntyre (SmackDown)
- World Heavyweight Champion: CM Punk (Raw)
- WWE Women’s Champion: Jade Cargill (SmackDown)
- Women’s World Champion: Stephanie Vaquer (Raw)
The hierarchy is basically split down the middle. If you're looking for the historical lineage that traces back to Buddy Rogers and Bruno Sammartino, that’s the one Drew is holding. If you're looking for the big gold belt revival that Seth Rollins inaugurated, that’s currently strapped around Punk’s waist.
How Drew McIntyre Reclaimed the Throne
The Three Stages of Hell match was exactly as advertised: hell. Drew took the first fall in a standard wrestling match. Cody fired back in a Falls Count Anywhere segment that saw them brawling through the arena. But the final stage, the Steel Cage, was where things got weird.
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Jacob Fatu made a shocking return. Most fans expected him to help Cody or maybe just cause chaos for the Bloodline’s sake, but his presence inadvertently distracted Rhodes long enough for McIntyre to hit a massive Claymore.
Drew is now a three-time WWE Champion. It’s a huge moment for him, especially considering how many times he came "this close" during the Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes eras.
What about the Women’s Divisions?
The women's side of the roster is just as stacked. Jade Cargill is currently the WWE Women’s Champion on SmackDown. She’s been on a tear since defeating Tiffany Stratton. It feels like WWE is finally leaning into her as a "final boss" type of character.
Over on Raw, the Women’s World Championship is held by Stephanie Vaquer. She’s been a revelation since joining the main roster, holding onto that title for over 100 days now. She won it back in September after Naomi had to relinquish it for maternity leave.
Mid-Card and Secondary Titles
If you’re a fan of the workhorse titles, the "current WWE champion" list gets even longer.
Dominik Mysterio is the Intercontinental Champion. Love him or hate him (and let’s be real, everyone loves to hate him), he’s been a surprisingly solid champion. He actually beat John Cena at Survivor Series: WarGames to win it. Think about that for a second. Dom Mysterio has a win over Cena for a major title.
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On the SmackDown side, Carmelo Hayes is the United States Champion. He took it from Ilja Dragunov in December.
We also have some new additions to the trophy case. Giulia is the Women's United States Champion, and the legendary Becky Lynch recently won the Women's Intercontinental Championship during the big Raw on Netflix anniversary special.
The NXT Power Vacuum
Down in Orlando, things are a bit messy. The NXT Championship is actually vacant right now. Oba Femi, who looked absolutely unstoppable, basically said he had nothing left to prove in NXT. After beating Leon Slater at New Year’s Evil, he just left the belt in the middle of the ring and walked out.
WWE has already announced a six-man ladder match for early February to crown a new champion. Until then, the developmental brand is essentially leaderless.
Why the Champions Keep Changing
In the "Triple H era" of creative, we’ve seen a mix of very long reigns (like Roman or Cody) and sudden, shocking shifts. The injury bug has also played a massive role lately. Losing Seth Rollins was a blow to Raw, and having to pivot to a CM Punk reign changed the entire trajectory of the winter season.
The move to Netflix for Monday Night Raw has also clearly influenced title changes. WWE wanted big names holding gold for that transition, which explains why Punk and Becky Lynch were fast-tracked into championship positions right as the calendar flipped to 2026.
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Tracking the Tag Team Scene
You can't talk about the champions without mentioning the tag divisions. The Usos are back together and holding the World Tag Team Titles on Raw. It feels like 2017 all over again, but with a lot more gray hair and emotional baggage.
On SmackDown, the Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy) have held the WWE Tag Team Championships for nearly 200 days. They’ve brought a completely different, darker energy to the tag division that we haven't seen in a long time.
Where Does WWE Go From Here?
With the Royal Rumble just around the corner, the status of who is the current WWE champion is probably going to change again soon.
There are already heavy rumors that Roman Reigns is eyeing Drew McIntyre. We haven't seen a proper "Tribal Chief vs. Scottish Warrior" program in a while, and the tension is definitely building for a WrestleMania 42 main event.
If you're trying to stay updated, the best thing to do is keep an eye on the Friday night results. SmackDown is currently the home of the primary title, and with McIntyre as champion, the "work rate" of the main event matches has gone through the roof.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the official WWE.com title history page for any "live event" changes that might happen over the weekend.
- Watch Raw on Netflix this Monday to see how CM Punk responds to the "open challenge" rumors.
- Set a reminder for the February 3 episode of NXT to see who wins the vacant NXT Championship ladder match.