WWE SmackDown looks set for another major shake up, with the show expected to jump back to a three hour format at the start of 2026. The update comes from WrestleVotes, which reports that the extended runtime is pencilled in for the January 2 broadcast in Buffalo, New York.

The report stated that “according to sources, WWE and USA Network have decided to move SmackDown back to three hours, beginning with the January 2nd show from Buffalo, NY“. That episode is scheduled to take place inside the KeyBank Center.

SmackDown briefly ran three hours from January to June 2025, a stretch introduced to boost advertising revenue for USA Network after Monday Night Raw shifted from USA to Netflix. The show reverted to its two hour format in July, but that setup looks like it will not last much longer.

The previous three hour run proved divisive among viewers. Some welcomed the extra space for talent, while others felt the pacing slowed and the commercial load grew heavier. The latest change also comes as Monday Night Raw now operates on a two hour flexible format for its Netflix era, ending a three hour tradition dating back to 2012.

According to sources, WWE and USA Network have decided to move SmackDown back to three hours, beginning with the January 2nd show from Buffalo, NY.

, WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) November 14, 2025

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