Those who are not satisfied with the recent editions of WWE Friday Night SmackDown will be relieved to know that changes are being made for the betterment of fans.
Bodyslam.net reports (via Wrestling Inc.) that WWE will be bringing in new writers to write “more enticing storylines” as we approach the new year. Legendary wrestler Road Dogg will remain the co-captain alongside John Swikata of SmackDown‘s WWE creative team, but they hope these changes make the weekly show “more enjoyable.”
This is the latest change to WWE's flagship Friday night show. They recently played around with its runtime. After Monday Night RAW moved to Netflix, SmackDown moved to three hours. However, the results were mixed, and they have since reverted it to its two-hour format.
Road Dogg first joined WWE's SmackDown team when they changed to the three-hour format. Despite the runtime changes, he has remained in the top position there.
Why is WWE making these changes to SmackDown?
According to the report, WWE is making the change after they and TKO — their parent company — noticed that fans were unhappy with “a majority of the product” in 2025.
In turn, they know that changes are needed. They need to turn things around for their shareholders. Hopefully, the creative changes are able to turn things around for them.
SmackDown has been part of WWE's programming since August 1999. It jumped to USA Network, replacing RAW, in September 2024 after spending nearly five years on Fox.
Currently, the top champions on SmackDown are Cody Rhodes and Tiffany Stratton — they are currently holding the Undisputed WWE Championship and Women's Championship, respectively. Additionally, Sami Zayn and Gulia are the men's and women's United States Champions. The Wyatt Sicks' Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis are the Tag Team Champions, and Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss are the Women's Tag Team Champions.
Before any major changes occur, WWE will air an episode of SmackDown before Crown Jewel. The October 10 edition of SmackDown will take place in Perth, Western Australia.
