Jonathan Coachman sounded off after the January 2, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown and he did not mince his words. While traveling, Coachman recorded a video breaking down the show and one theme stood out above all else. WWE feels fresher when it leans young, and it needs to commit fully to that direction.

Coachman shared three takeaways from the show, but his comments about new faces resonated the most. He pointed to the growing presence of NXT talent and argued that WWE finally showed signs of evolution, while warning against holding that generation back.

“Stop gatekeeping NXT talent… Trick Williams came out, the entrance amazing. The crowd super into it. And so let’s go. Ricky Saints. Let’s go. Oba Femi. Let’s go. Javon Evans. Let’s go. All of these young cats. You need young. You need diversity. And that’s exactly what you brought up on the show.”

He then delivered the line that immediately caught fire online.

“It can’t be old white dudes that are gonna be the only stars for the show.”

Those comments followed a SmackDown that featured a standout confrontation between Trick Williams and Sami Zayn, along with a new vignette spotlighting Oba Femi. The episode fueled speculation that WWE is laying the groundwork for a new wave of main event talent, even if the company has yet to fully commit.

Coachman also highlighted established names. He called Randy Orton “an absolute star” and made a strong case for Drew McIntyre as the company’s top villain.

“Drew’s the guy… give him the strap, let him be the heel, and let all of these babyfaces coming in chase him.”

The video, released in connection with Coachman’s Off the Ropes show on Channel 156, ended with a clear warning. WWE’s future is arriving quickly, and if the company truly wants to move forward, it cannot keep relying on the same familiar faces.

Saturdays starting here in 2026 will do 3 takeaways from 3 hour Smackdowns on Friday. I hope that what they started last night continues. Let me know if you agree or disagree. 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
1. Randy Orton is an absolute star and he adds so much
2. Stop gate keeping NXT talent. Trick… pic.twitter.com/yUoM1jvRgz

, The Coach (@Thecoachrules) January 3, 2026