Major Change Coming To WWE SmackDown

According to a new report, WWE SmackDown could soon be bigger than ever.

On September 13th, SmackDown premiered on the USA Network after spending five years on Fox. The move is part of a huge reshuffle across WWE with NXT jumping to the CW Network on October 1st, and Netflix heading to Raw in January 2025.

To celebrate the change, the show was given a new logo and theme song, while several Hall of Famers were in attendance to see the return of Roman Reigns.

Interestingly, it’s been reported that Raw’s move to Netflix could have a huge knock-on effect on SmackDown.

Big News On WWE SmackDown

A new report from Wrestle Votes Radio via Backstage Pass noted that SmackDown will go to three hours starting on January 3rd, three days before Raw debuts on Netflix. Furthermore, there have been talks around the show being available on the streaming platform 24 hours after broadcasting live on USA.

“Before we move off of SmackDown, our first real WrestleVotes tidbit here, as we get going on this backstage pass regarding SmackDown, is that we have learned that starting on the January 3 show 2025, Smackdown will indeed shift to three hours.

The other big news here is there are rumors that once the show ends, it will be available on Netflix, which we haven’t heard elsewhere. Those are the internal talkings right now is that probably the day after Smackdown will be available on Netflix. But the real nugget here is that starting January 3, that show will be three hours.”

Meanwhile, Mercedes Mone has said she wishes she “kept her mouth shut” about recent talks with Megan Thee Stallion after the star’s track Neva Play was unveiled as SmackDown’s new theme.

Writing in her Mone Mag, the AEW star confirmed her team had spoken to Megan’s representatives prior to her song being used by WWE.

H/t to WrestlingNews.Co