A new show could lead to WWE SmackDown returning to its older format.
The Blue Branded show expanded to three hours with the January 3 episode this year. This came after more than two decades of a two-hour format for the brand since its 1999 TV debut on UPN.
While initially hopeful about unused talents getting more screen time, fans have found the new format to be exhausting, and many have demanded that the company revert back to the 2-hour show.
A new announcement from the show's current broadcast partner, USA Network, brings good news for such people as it suggests that the 3-hour format will not continue indefinitely.
The network recently released the trailer for a new show dubbed The Rainmaker, which will be premiering on Friday, August 15, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET/PT:
The new show follows the story of Rudy Baylor, a young law school graduate who is forced to work for an ill-reputed lawyer after being fired from his new job for a more reputable firm on the first day.
WWE has seen success running PPVs earlier than usual to accommodate UFC shows since the merger of the two companies. So there is a distinct possibility that SmackDown gets moved up instead of cutting the extra hour.
Though the most likely scenario is that the show returns to its usual format. Stay tuned for more updates on the story.
