“WWE SmackDown” is set to undergo yet another change to its runtime, after having switched to a three-hour runtime at the start of the year.
The Friday night show switched from a two-hour runtime to three hours at the start of January, but it seems like it will be going back to being a two-hour show in the future. “Bodyslam+” has reported that the change will happen in the next few weeks.
This change is similar to what WWE did last year, too, with reports from earlier this year indicating that WWE could use the same formula this year, running three-hour shows for the first quarter of the year, before going back to the two-hour format. Last year, WWE moved to the two-hour slot in July, but if these reports are to be believed, the switch could happen much earlier in 2026.
Reports at the time had stated that the decision by WWE to move to three hours for the blue brand was to give other shows a lead-in. The switch to three hours for “SmackDown” was not met with widespread praise, with the likes of WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray arguing that three hours is far 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.
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