WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network and Netflix internationally, from the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
WWE appears ready to hit the reset button on Friday nights, as plans are reportedly in motion to significantly shake up SmackDown heading into 2026.
According to Bodyslam+, internal discussions within WWE point to SmackDown expanding back to a three-hour format early next year. The move is said to be a direct response to concerns about the show’s overall direction in 2025, which many — both internally and among fans — felt failed to consistently deliver momentum despite a few standout moments along the way.
Along with the added hour, WWE is expected to bolster the blue brand’s roster. Additional talent is reportedly being considered to help fill the expanded runtime and freshen up weekly programming. WWE officials are said to be closely monitoring audience feedback, acknowledging that SmackDown often felt “flat” throughout much of the year and lacked a clear identity compared to other flagship shows.
Creative changes are also on the table. WWE is evaluating how both storytelling and talent utilization can evolve to better support a longer broadcast, with the goal of making SmackDown feel more dynamic and essential on a week-to-week basis. If current plans hold, the three-hour version of SmackDown is expected to officially return in January 2026 — signaling a major creative shift for the blue brand as WWE looks to rebound and redefine its Friday night product.
WWE is getting ahead of the holiday schedule next week, as both RAW and SmackDown will be taped in back-to-back double sessions. Fans in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, will essentially be getting two shows for the price of one.
The December stop of Monday Night RAW in Hershey has been re-listed as a combined taping for both RAW and SmackDown. A few days later, Friday Night SmackDown in Grand Rapids will follow the same format, also pulling double duty.
To make room for the expanded schedule, WWE has bumped both events’ local start times to 6 PM. Interestingly, even though RAW will be taped early, it’s still set to air in its standard TV window at 8 PM EST, so fans at home won’t see the usual “early airing” adjustment that sometimes happens with internationally broadcast shows.
On the storyline front, WWE has confirmed a marquee tag match for next week’s RAW: The Usos vs. The New Day—a rivalry that never misses. With both brands under one roof and a packed taping schedule, it wouldn’t be shocking if more crossover surprises hit the card.
WWE SmackDown live tonight on USA Network from The Moody Center in Austin, Texas
WWE SmackDown this Friday on USA Network from Denver, Colorado
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix Internationally, from the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
It looks like WWE’s blue brand might be gearing up for another major schedule shake-up. According to a new report from WrestleVotes, SmackDown is expected to expand back to a three-hour format beginning in early 2026.
Per the report, sources indicate that WWE and USA Network have already agreed to the change, with the first extended broadcast slated for January 2 in Buffalo, NY. While the decision reportedly has been made, there’s no word yet on what prompted the move—or what the extra hour might mean for the show’s structure or roster focus.
This would mark SmackDown’s second runtime switch in less than a year. The brand originally bumped up to three hours in January when Raw moved from USA Network to Netflix. By June, SmackDown reverted back to its traditional two-hour window, a shift rumored to be tied to the network debut of The Rainmaker series. That season wrapped in mid-October, and there hadn’t been any chatter about a runtime change since—until now.
What makes this even more interesting is that previous reports following WrestleMania 41 suggested the opposite—that SmackDown would be locked in at the two-hour format over the summer. Clearly, plans evolved behind the scenes.
As of Friday’s show, neither WWE nor USA Network has officially confirmed the return to three hours, but if the report holds true, the shift will land right before the 2026 Royal Rumble on January 31 in Riyadh—effectively kicking off WrestleMania season with more weekly airtime than ever.
The conversation also comes at a time when ratings across all major wrestling programs have been recalibrated due to Nielsen’s new “Big Data + Panel” measurement system, which has shaken viewership trends industry-wide.
If SmackDown really is going long again, the added hour could bring new opportunities—or risk the pacing and fatigue issues fans often associate with three-hour wrestling shows. For now, all eyes are on WWE and USA Network for the official call.
The “Last Time Is Now” tournament kept rolling on this week’s WWE SmackDown from Albany, and fans got a surprise throwback appearance that nobody saw coming.
The night opened with Jey Uso knocking off The Miz to secure his place in the next round. WWE still hasn’t revealed the tournament bracket, so we’re left guessing who Main Event Jey will collide with next.
Later in the show, LA Knight came prepared for a mystery opponent — but the crowd inside MVP Arena erupted when the curtain parted to reveal Matt Cardona, fully revived in his classic Zack Ryder persona. Same name, same color scheme, same entrance. The whole package.
This was Ryder’s first match on the main roster in more than five years, with his last WWE appearance coming during an NXT cameo back in 2019 where he lost to Josh Briggs.
Cardona didn’t look out of place at all and came in swinging, clearly aiming to make the most of the moment. But despite a strong showing, LA Knight cut him off and sealed the win with the BFT, punching his ticket to the tournament’s next stage.
Whether Ryder’s return is a one-night nostalgia hit or something more permanent remains to be seen — but the crowd reaction made one thing clear: Albany knew it.
WWE airs live tonight beginning at 8:00 pm ET on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans from the MVP Arena in Albany, NY.
Last night’s WWE SmackDown featured more than one shocking moment, but Charlotte Flair may have stolen the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
During her match with Nia Jax, Flair suffered an unexpected wardrobe malfunction that forced the production crew to repeatedly cut to black as she tried to adjust her gear. The interruptions were noticeable to viewers at home, though the match continued without being stopped.
Despite the hiccup, Flair carried on like a pro, keeping her composure and finishing the bout against “The Irresistible Force.” Fans on social media were quick to praise her professionalism and the production team’s quick response to contain the situation on live television.
Before the match, Flair was part of a backstage segment that hinted at her next big storyline. The Queen and her tag team partner Alexa Bliss, the current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, crossed paths with the newly crowned WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill.
Cargill, fresh off a dominant win over Tiffany Stratton, delivered a warning to the women’s locker room, claiming that anyone who steps to her will meet the same fate. As she walked past Flair and Bliss, tensions flared immediately. Cargill held her championship high, exchanging heated words with the duo before Bliss pulled Flair back, reminding her to focus on her upcoming match with Jax.
It seems WWE may be planting the seeds for a major showdown between Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill — a clash between two powerhouses that could redefine the SmackDown women’s division.
Wardrobe slip aside, Flair remains front and center in the women’s scene, and with Jade Cargill now on top of the mountain, the blue brand may be heading toward an explosive confrontation between two of the most dominant stars in WWE history.
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