Official: WWE SmackDown Moving to Three Hours in 2025 – WWE has officially announced that SmackDown will transition to a three-hour format beginning in 2025. The first expanded episode is scheduled for Friday, January 3, broadcasting live from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The show will air on the USA Network from 8 to 11 p.m. Eastern time.
This change was confirmed via an article on WWE.com outlining the broadcast schedule for WWE programming in the new year:
“SmackDown continues to air on USA Network every Friday night at 8/7 C in the U.S. At the start of 2025, SmackDown will expand to three hours starting with the Jan. 3 episode from Phoenix, Arizona.”
SmackDown’s move to three hours aligns with WWE’s recent shift in broadcast partners. The show had aired on Fox until September, when it returned to USA Network under a new five-year television deal.
The announcement comes as WWE prepares for further programming changes, including the transition of RAW to Netflix in January. RAW’s final episode on USA Network will air on December 30, with its Netflix debut set for January 6. However, it remains unclear whether RAW will continue its two-hour format or revert to three hours on the streaming platform. Paul “Triple H” Levesque recently joked that details on RAW’s format would be revealed during its Netflix premiere.
The move to extend SmackDown reflects WWE’s commitment to evolving its programming and adapting to viewer demands. With its new three-hour format, SmackDown will likely feature a broader range of storylines and matches, offering fans even more content to enjoy every Friday night.
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Official: WWE SmackDown Moving to Three Hours in 2025
