WWE SmackDown Set to Return to Three Hours

WWE’s Friday night schedule just took another wild turn. After SmackDown officially returned to a two-hour format for a few months, a new report now says the show is heading right back to three hours.

According to WrestleVotes, WWE and USA Network have already made the decision to expand SmackDown again starting early next year. The move is set to kick in on January 2nd, with the first three-hour show broadcast live from Buffalo, New York.

“According to sources, WWE and USA Network have decided to move SmackDown back to three hours, beginning with the January 2nd show from Buffalo, NY.”

Back in June, WWE publicly confirmed that SmackDown had dropped the experimental third hour and returned to its traditional runtime. The timing of this reversal raises major questions about WWE’s long-term plans, USA Network’s strategy, and whether the company is heading into a permanent era of extended programming.

As always, Ringside News will continue monitoring updates as more details come in about the new format — and what prompted the sudden change of direction.