WWE SmackDown takes place today at the Olimpic Arena, Barcelona, Spain.
International Netflix subscribers can watch tonight’s episode live, beginning at 3:00 pm ET. The show will air on a tape delay in the United States on the USA Network, starting at 8:00 pm ET.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in and on the U.S. and Netflix internationally, beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT from the Well Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown is the go-home show for Saturday’s Elimination Chamber premium live event and will air live on the USA Network in the US and Netflix internationally. from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Rock may have arrived on SmackDown to announce WrestleMania 42 for New Orleans, but by the time he left, he had dropped a far more personal bombshell on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. In a dramatic in-ring segment, The Rock first extended his hand in friendship—before revealing a much darker intention.
Earlier in the night, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis hinted that The Final Boss wanted a word with Rhodes, setting the stage for a tense confrontation. When The Rock finally addressed the WWE Champion, he reflected on their complicated history—how their paths clashed heading into WrestleMania 40, how their families had since grown close, and how much respect he had for Rhodes. At first, his words seemed almost benevolent.
“I want you to be my champion,” The Rock told Rhodes, promising to help him achieve all his dreams and even calling him his “brother.”
But the vibe quickly shifted. The Rock reminded Rhodes that last year, he had planned to main-event WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns—until Rhodes got in the way and even slapped him. That, Rock admitted, was why Cody was special. And now, he had an offer: Rhodes had until Elimination Chamber on March 1 to make a decision.
Rhodes, sensing where this was heading, asked if The Rock wanted a shot at his WWE Championship. But The Great One made his true intentions clear.
“No… I don’t want your title. I want your soul.”
The chilling declaration left the crowd stunned, as the WWE Universe tried to piece together exactly what The Rock meant by his ominous words.
Beyond his challenge to Rhodes, The Rock also reminded everyone of his growing influence behind the scenes. He brought up his position on TKO Group Holdings’ board of directors—the parent company of WWE—and even joked that Ari Emanuel himself said The Rock practically owned the company.
That statement alone could have major implications. With The Rock’s power in both the corporate and creative side of WWE, is this a sign that he’s setting the stage for something bigger than just a match?
Now, the ball is in Cody Rhodes’ court. With Elimination Chamber just around the corner, what exactly does The Rock’s challenge mean? Is this leading to a match, an alliance, or something even more sinister?
One thing’s for sure—when The Final Boss makes a move, the entire landscape of WWE changes.
Stay locked on WrestlingNewsBlog.com for all the latest updates as this massive story unfolds!
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made an appearance on “WWE SmackDown” on Friday and made a huge announcement for New Orleans, live from the city’s Smoothie King Center. The Rock appeared in the middle of the show with the announcement that WrestleMania 42 will take place in The Big Easy at the Caesars Superdome on April 11 and April 12 2026
Midway through the show, The Rock’s music hit, but with a unique New Orleans twist. As he stepped into the ring, the energy in the arena was off the charts. Before he could even finish his signature line, the crowd erupted, completing the iconic phrase for him:
“Finally… The Rock has come back to New Orleans!”
But The Rock had his own twist. He took the mic and declared, “Finally, WrestleMania is coming back to New Orleans!”—sending the WWE Universe into a frenzy. Fans even broke out in “holy s**”* chants as the People’s Champ basked in the moment. Always one to lean into the atmosphere, he led the crowd in a rendition of “When The Saints Go Marching In,” while balancing his persona between heel and babyface.
With this announcement, New Orleans joins the select list of cities to host WrestleMania multiple times. The Caesars Superdome—now set to hold its third Mania—previously hosted:
Now, the Superdome is gearing up for another historic WrestleMania in 2026, and with The Rock playing a major role in WWE’s future, speculation is already running wild on what this could mean for the event’s main event scene.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown will air live on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix Internationally, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana,
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown will air live on the USA Network in the United States and on Netflix internationally, beginning at 8:00 pm ET from the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network and on Netflix for international fans, beginning at 8:00 pm ET. from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.
WWE SmackDown live tonight on USA Network from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
Big changes are on the horizon for WWE Friday Night SmackDown. Earlier this month, Triple H announced that the blue brand, currently airing on the USA Network, will be returning to its traditional two-hour format later in 2024.
According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, this shift is expected to happen sometime between May and June, shortly after WrestleMania 41. WWE reportedly plans to keep SmackDown in its current three-hour format through the spring, as the company believes it has enough compelling content to sustain the additional hour until then.
SmackDown’s move back to two hours will mark the conclusion of the show’s recent experiment with an extended runtime. While the three-hour format has allowed WWE to showcase more talent and stories, it has also been met with mixed reactions from fans, many of whom feel that the additional hour dilutes the show’s pacing and impact.
A return to two hours would bring SmackDown back to its roots and align it with what many fans consider its most successful format. Historically, the two-hour structure has been praised for delivering a tighter, more action-packed product, and this change is likely to be welcomed by a majority of WWE’s fanbase.
The timing of the change is significant. WrestleMania 41, which will take place in April, is traditionally a reset point for WWE’s storylines and programming. By scaling SmackDown back to two hours following the biggest event of the year, WWE can adjust its creative direction and focus on crafting concise, high-quality episodes for the remainder of 2024.
This announcement comes as SmackDown continues its current run on the USA Network. The show’s move to the network in late 2024 was part of WWE’s massive deal with NBCUniversal, following the expiration of its previous agreement with FOX. Fans will be keeping a close eye on how this programming change impacts SmackDown’s presentation under its new home.
As WWE gears up for this transition, it’s clear that Triple H and the creative team are looking to optimize SmackDown’s format to keep fans engaged while delivering the best product possible.
For now, fans can look forward to an exciting few months leading into WrestleMania 41, with the blue brand wrapping up its three-hour run in style before heading back to its classic two-hour format later this year.
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