It appears the three-hour era of WWE SmackDown is coming to an end, as some cable systems have begun listing the program as a two-hour show beginning on Friday, July 4, 2025. This change aligns with the USA Network’s upcoming programming schedule, which will see a new drama series take over the 10 p.m. time slot.
This development is a reversal of what was reported just last week. Previously, it was believed that SmackDown would remain a three-hour broadcast for the foreseeable future after USA Network scrapped plans for a different show in that final hour. The network had reportedly determined that the third hour of SmackDown would draw significantly higher ratings than any replacement show they could air.
However, it now appears a new plan is in place. The USA Network is set to premiere a new legal drama series titled “The Rainmaker” in August. That new show is scheduled to air in the 10 p.m. ET time slot on Fridays, directly following the newly formatted two-hour SmackDown broadcast.
WWE SmackDown originally expanded from two hours to three when it moved from the FOX network to the USA Network at the beginning of 2025. The initial understanding was that this was a temporary measure until USA finalized its new schedule. While it briefly seemed the three-hour format would become permanent due to strong ratings, the scheduling of “The Rainmaker” has prompted the change back to the show’s traditional two-hour runtime.
For many fans who found the three-hour broadcast to be too long, this will be welcome news. The change will take effect with the Friday, July 4th episode, which will be the go-home show for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
