Below are some top WWE news stories of the day, involving SmackDown and the Royal Rumble.
• WWE SmackDown moving to a three-hour format isn’t a permanent move, as initially announced. While WWE expanded the show to three hours on the USA Network starting January 3, the format will reportedly return to its original two-hour length later this year.
Triple H addressed the change during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, confirming that the move back to a two-hour format is planned. However, he did not specify the exact timeline for the adjustment.
Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics provided further clarity, reporting that WWE plans for SmackDown to revert to two hours in June:
“(Paul) Levesque didn’t specify the timing here. I’ve been informed SmackDown is planned to return to a 2-hour format beginning in June.”
The decision aligns with earlier reports from WrestleVotes, which hinted at internal discussions about maintaining the traditional two-hour runtime even before the official announcement of the three-hour expansion.
The return to a two-hour format may address concerns from fans and analysts who believe a shorter runtime better suits the pacing and engagement of the show.
While the current three-hour format allows for more content, it has faced mixed reviews since the shift. Fans will have to wait for further updates to see how WWE navigates this transition.
WATCH: Sunny Removes Her Top:
• John Cena’s retirement tour officially began with a bang on this week’s RAW, where the 16-time World Champion delivered a passionate promo and announced his entry into the upcoming Royal Rumble.
With fans buzzing about the possibility of Cena winning the match, new reports indicate that WWE is seriously considering him as the top choice to emerge victorious.
WrestleVotes shared WWE’s current stance on Cena’s Royal Rumble prospects. According to the report, Cena’s promo on RAW not only electrified the crowd but also reinforced his position as a favorite to win the Rumble.
Even before the promo, Cena was reportedly a frontrunner, and the overwhelmingly positive reaction from fans during his address only solidified WWE’s confidence in him.
“Yeah, especially after that promo, everybody in attendance gave him the reaction he was looking for, and they wanna see #17,” WrestleVotes explained. “We had heard that he was one of the leaders in the clubhouse prior to last night, and Monday night only solidified that he’s choice #1. So yeah, I’d say it looks good at this point.”
If Cena wins the Royal Rumble, he would tie Stone Cold Steve Austin’s record for the most Royal Rumble victories: 3. Cena previously won the match in 2008 and 2013.
