World Wrestling Entertainment has officially confirmed that WWE Friday Night SmackDown will expand to a three-hour format on the USA Network.
The rumors of this change, initially reported by WrestleVotes several weeks ago, were met with speculation until today’s announcement. The expansion mirrors WWE’s earlier decision to extend Raw to three hours, which was made at the request of the USA Network. With Raw set to move to Netflix on January 6, this adjustment may also stem from USA’s desire to maximize WWE content on its network.
This additional hour of programming presents significant opportunities for WWE’s roster. The extended runtime will allow SmackDown to feature more talent, develop diverse storylines, and introduce innovative match formats. This move follows the recent debut of the Women’s United States Championship and Intercontinental Championship, indicating WWE’s commitment to elevating the women’s division and offering a broader showcase of its star-studded roster.
