WWE SmackDown is expected to revert back to its traditional two-hour format in the near future, as the current three-hour episodes appear to be nearing their end.
The blue brand expanded to a three-hour runtime on the USA Network at the beginning of 2025. However, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque previously indicated that the extended runtime was always meant to be a short-term arrangement. While WWE has yet to make an official announcement, the change back to two hours is anticipated to take place sometime in June.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com, Dave Meltzer provided an update on the status of the format change. He noted that although no firm date has been locked in, one is expected to be confirmed soon.
“There has been talk that SmackDown goes back to two hours on 6/6, but that is not a hard date,” Meltzer reported. “It was expected at the end of May would be the move back. Company sources say the date isn’t etched in stone but they expected it will be finalized this week.”
SmackDown originally joined the FOX network in 2019, but made its return to the USA Network in September 2024 under the terms of a new five-year agreement between WWE and NBCUniversal. As part of WWE’s latest round of media rights negotiations, USA regained SmackDown but lost Monday Night Raw to Netflix and NXT to The CW.
