Backstage News On WWE SmackDown Likely Switching Back To Two Hours Later This Year

WWE Friday Night SmackDown officially entered a new era last week, as the blue brand kicked off its expanded three-hour format on the USA Network.

However, that longer runtime may not be locked in for the entirety of 2026.

According to Bryan Alvarez, the current plan could closely resemble how SmackDown was structured last year.

Speaking on The Bryan and Vinny Show at F4WOnline.com, Alvarez noted that while SmackDown has returned to three hours beginning in January, sources have indicated that the change is likely temporary.

Alvarez explained that when WWE announced the move back to a three-hour format for early 2026, he was told it would probably follow the same model used in 2025.

“I was told, when the announcement was made that they were going back to three hours in January, that it probably was going to be the same thing this year, where it would be a three hour show for the first half, or whatever,” Alvarez stated.

For those unaware, WWE SmackDown ran for three hours during the first half of 2025 before ultimately reverting to its traditional two-hour format later in the year.

The reasoning behind the potential rollback appears to be network-driven.

Alvarez suggested that USA Network may once again want to use SmackDown as a lead-in to launch another program in the latter half of the year, similar to how “Everything On The Menu with Braun Strowman” previously followed the show.

If that strategy is put back into place, WWE SmackDown would likely need to scale back to two hours to accommodate the additional programming.

We will keep you posted here at WrestlingHeadlines.com as updates regarding plans for the future of WWE SmackDown continue to surface.