WWE Friday Night SmackDown will be returning to a two-hour format in the next few weeks, according to Bodyslam — and the decision has come from USA Network rather than WWE itself. The network has programming returning to the 10 PM ET timeslot later this year, including the second season of Everything on the Menu starring Braun Strowman, which is set to premiere in early summer.
The May 1 and May 8 episodes of SmackDown are still listed as three-hour broadcasts on USA Network’s schedule, suggesting the switch will take place sometime after those dates. SmackDown has primarily been a two-hour show since its 1999 premiere — a format that was widely considered the natural fit for the show by both fans and people within WWE. The three-hour format returned in January 2026 and has been in place since, though the original switch in early 2025 was described as unpopular internally and with audiences.
SmackDown’s Return to Two Hours Was Also a Factor in WWE’s Post-WrestleMania 42 Roster Releases
The format change carries significant roster implications that have already played out. The impending reduction to two hours was cited by Fightful Select as one of the contributing factors behind WWE‘s post-WrestleMania 42 releases, with 14 main roster wrestlers who primarily performed on SmackDown among the 25 total performers let go on April 24.
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