WWE To Make Major SmackDown Change Later In 2026

WWE could already have plans in place for a huge change for SmackDown in 2026.

The first SmackDown of 2026 saw Randy Orton make his huge return to the show, where he took out The Miz. That was followed by another surprise as Matt Cardona officially redebuted for the company, shedding his Zack Ryder name once and for all.

The show was back to being a three-hour affair, something that many fans were dreading. However, it seems WWE is keeping the situation fluid with its blue brand, and a two-hour show could be back later in the year.

WWE Open To SmackDown Change

Speaking on The Bryan & Vinny Show, the Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez noted that SmackDown is expected to revert to a two-hour run time again later in 2026:

I was told, when the announcement was made that they were going back to three hours in January, that it probably was going to be the same thing this year, where it would be a three-hour show for the first half or whatever.

Alvarez also noted that the USA Network is likely trying to find an appropriate show to fill in that third hour should SmackDown be reduced to two hours again. Previously, the two-hour SmackDown was followed by Everything On The Menu, which starred former WWE star Braun Strowman.