Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day, featuring SmackDown and Elimination Chamber.
• SmackDown expanded to three hours on January 3, but many fans and company insiders feel the quality has declined.
Triple H confirmed on The Pat McAfee Show that SmackDown will return to two hours, with WrestleVotes reporting the change is expected in June.
In an update from WrestleVotes, many within WWE dislike the three-hour format, as it hasn’t provided the expected opportunities for underutilized talent:
“We are told several within the company strongly dislike the three-hour SmackDown format, as those sources feel like the quality of the show has dipped in the last two months.
Prior to the expansion, there was optimism and belief that some underutilized talent would be able to shine, considering the extra hour. However, that has not come to fruition as of yet.
SmackDown is still scheduled to return to two hours come this June.”
• The Rock’s recent promo on SmackDown sparked discussion after he declared his intention to elevate WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and take his soul, with Rhodes’ response expected at Elimination Chamber on March 1.
Fans felt the storyline was unclear, and WWE’s creative team reportedly only learned about The Rock’s involvement hours before his announcement.
According to the Wrestling Observer, several people within WWE were upset when the original Elimination Chamber ad was replaced with one featuring only The Rock, removing everyone else from the promotion.
“There were several people upset internally this week when the main Chamber ad took everyone off the ad and it was replaced with a new ad with only the photo of Dwayne Johnson.”
