WWE is closing the chapter on its extended Friday night format, as SmackDown will permanently return to its traditional two-hour runtime starting July 4. According to a new report from PWInsider, the USA Network has decided to end the three-hour experiment that began earlier this year when SmackDown returned to the network.

Although initial feedback on the third hour was reportedly positive, with USA Network executives said to be pleased by the viewership numbers, the decision has been made to bring the show back in line with its long-standing format. Since its debut in 1999, SmackDown has mostly adhered to a two-hour schedule, and that structure is now being restored on a permanent basis.

The upcoming June 27 edition of SmackDown will mark the final three-hour broadcast. The show is set to air live from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, serving as the go-home episode ahead of Night of Champions. It will also feature the highly anticipated finals of both the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments.

The first show back under the two-hour format will be the July 4 edition, which is set to be pre-recorded on Monday, June 30, after Monday Night Raw goes off the air.

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