“WWE SmackDown” is about to undergo one more change to its runtime, after having switched to a three-hour runtime at first of the yr.
The Friday night show switched from a two-hour runtime to 3 hours at first of January, however it looks like it would be going back to being a two-hour show in the long run. “Bodyslam+” has reported that the change will occur in the following few weeks.
This transformation is analogous to what WWE did last yr, too, with reports from earlier this yr indicating that WWE could use the identical formula this yr, running three-hour shows for the primary quarter of the yr, before going back to the two-hour format. Last yr, WWE moved to the two-hour slot in July, but when these reports are to be believed, the switch could occur much earlier in 2026.
Reports on the time had stated that the choice by WWE to maneuver to 3 hours for the blue brand was to offer other shows a lead-in. The switch to 3 hours for “SmackDown” was not met with widespread praise, with the likes of WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray arguing that three hours is much too long for any pro wrestling show.
Meanwhile, “WWE Raw,” which airs on Netflix on Monday nights, runs for around two and a half hours, including ads.