The era of the three-hour WWE Friday Night SmackDown is coming to a permanent end. According to a new report from PWInsider, the show’s return to a two-hour format on the USA Network, beginning with the July 4th episode, is a permanent change moving forward.
The move to three hours began when SmackDown returned to the USA Network at the start of 2025. While it was initially thought to be a temporary measure, reports earlier this year suggested the USA Network was pleased with the viewership for the third hour and considered keeping the extended runtime. However, the decision has now been made to revert to the traditional two-hour structure, a format the show has maintained for most of its run since its debut in 1999.
The final three-hour edition of SmackDown will be a significant one, airing this Friday, June 27, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The show will serve as the go-home broadcast for the Night of Champions premium live event and will feature the finals of both the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments.
The first show back in the two-hour format will be the July 4th episode, which is scheduled to be pre-taped this upcoming Monday, June 30, following the live broadcast of Raw.