WWE SmackDown Potentially Changing Back To Two Hours Update

WWE

A new update has emerged regarding potential plans to change WWE SmackDown back to a two hour program.

Beginning with the January 3, 2025 episode, Friday Night SmackDown has been a three hour program on the USA Network, changing from its long established runtime of two hours.

The change was confirmed by Triple H to be a temporary one, with reports suggesting that the show would revert back to two hours in June.

However, ahead of that rumored change it was reported that the USA Network still had the show listed as three hours for June, and that has been the runtime of both episodes of SmackDown that have aired so far this month (June 6 & 13).

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer provided an update on the situation, revealing that SmackDown will continue to be a three hour show until USA Network decides otherwise.

Meltzer explained:

“Until USA changes the idea. It’s three hours until they change it. Originally it was gonna stop in June and USA had a show that they wanted to put on from 10 to 11 piggybacking off SmackDown, and for whatever reason, they made the call that it wasn’t worth it.

“And for their ratings, it’s not worth it – I think they realized that hour three (of SmackDown) is gonna do triple of anything (else) that they were gonna put on. SmackDown is so far and away the biggest show on that station. So yeah, they’re not making the move, at least for the foreseeable future, whatever that means.

“No (WWE is not being paid extra to continue with a third hour). I guess the way they signed the contract, they must have given USA the option. Because if they were making more money on the deal it absolutely would have been said at the investors’ call, and we would have seen it, we would have seen the difference in the money.

“So obviously the money has not changed. Because if it had, we’d have been told.”

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We will provide further updates on SmackDown’s future as a three hour show if anything changes.

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SmackDown being three hours will continue until USA Network decides to change it, and it's believed there's no extra pay to WWE for continuing the third hour:

"Until USA changes the idea. It's three hours until they change it. Originally it was gonna stop in June and USA had a… pic.twitter.com/DnRp4N5z8e

— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) June 16, 2025