WWE Friday Night SmackDown: UK start time, matches announced and change to the broadcast team

As the "Blue Brand" moves to the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, the show officially expands back to a three-hour format on the USA Network, giving the roster an extra hour to settle scores as the Road to the Royal Rumble begins.

To lead us through this expanded broadcast, Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett take over the commentary desk, as they trade places with Michael Cole and Corey Graves, who make their return to Monday Night Raw.

But while the voices and the clock have changed, the tension in the ring has only reached a boiling point, especially in the feud between Damian Priest and Aleister Black.

With the new year having been rung in, and only a few weeks until the annual Royal Rumble match, could the first WWE broadcast of 2026 also see some of the biggest names in the WWE Universe starting to declare for both the men’s and women’s Rumble match, when it takes place in Riyadh on January 31?

There’s an extra hour for them to make up their mind - so until later this evening, when all will be revealed (unless you’ve read spoilers), here’s your WWE Friday Night SmackDown preview, including UK start time.

What time is WWE Friday Night SmackDown starting in the UK tonight?

If you managed to ring in the New Year yesterday, then maybe you can use some of those energy reserves to ring in the first WWE show of the year?

It’s a late one once again, with WWE SmackDown set to air on Netflix from 1am on December 3, for an additional hour too - remember that.

Those who have had their late night provisions depleted can instead tune in to watch the show on demand through the streaming giant once the live broadcast has been completed.

What has been announced for WWE Friday Night SmackDown so far?

Ambulance Match: Damian Priest v Aleister Black

Aleister Black and Damian Priest have gone through hell and back trying to annihilate each other’s careers. The two have traded wins back and forth, with their supposedly final meeting being a Last Man Standing Match that saw Black come out on top via a fireball and a lot of help from his wife, Zelina.

WWE Universe, it’s not done, as these two will go at it again, and hopefully for the final time to end this brutal and barbaric war once and for all in an Ambulance Match.

The stipulation is simple: beat down your opponent to their limit so they can no longer answer the call and stuff them in the back of the Ambulance to win the match.

There’s no more fitting stipulation than this, since Black and Priest made it crystal clear that they’re not here to have a match or get into a fight; they’re both here to destroy each other and impose their dominance over the other.

Alex Bliss, Charlotte Flair, IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley v ASUKA, Kairi Sane, Nia Jax and Lash Legend

It seems like we’ve entered a ‘golden age’ of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Division.

On the first Friday Night SmackDown of 2026, we have a showcase match of the best teams the division has to offer, and a rematch of sorts from WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2025. Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, IYO SKY, and Rhea Ripley will be taking on The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend.

All of the teams involved have a chance to prove why they should be the one helming the division as 2026 unfolds, with every pairing making statements that they want to be the top dogs by being the champion.

ASUKA and Kairi Sane better watch their backs, because it’s not Bliss, Flair, or Team RHIYO they should only be worried about; Legend and Jax have also expressed interest in gunning for the gold a number of weeks back.

Regardless, it’s a star-studded 8-Woman Tag Team Match to ring in the new year.

Jade Cargill v Michin

The first SmackDown of 2026 also features a significant clash between WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill and Michin.

After weeks of tension and physical confrontations, Michin finally gets her shot at the champion in a match that could shift the landscape of the division. While this is a non-title match, the stakes couldn't be higher for the challenger.

If Michin can pull off the upset victory against the dominant Cargill, she will earn a future championship opportunity. Cargill, however, is looking to start the year as a "killer," asserting her dominance and proving why she sits at the top of the mountain.

Will Michin shock the world and secure her title shot, or will Jade continue her path of destruction into the new year?

Why have the announce teams changed on WWE television?

The switch-up on the headsets isn’t just for a change of pace—it’s actually tied to the conclusion of the American football season.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett make their move to SmackDown following the end of Joe’s busy autumn schedule covering college football and the NFL for ESPN.

During the final months of 2025, the teams were swapped to accommodate Joe’s weekend travel, but with the football playoffs wrapping up, he and Barrett are returning to their intended Blue brand home.

This move also allows the legendary Michael Cole and Corey Graves to head back to Monday Night Raw just in time for a massive milestone.

Next week marks the first anniversary of Raw’s historic move to Netflix, and WWE is keen to have its most experienced duo calling the action for the flagship's Netflix Anniversary era.

While it might take a moment to get used to the new voices, the swap ensures that both brands have veteran leadership at the desk as the Road to the Royal Rumble intensifies.

Looking for who the favourites are to win this year’s Royal Rumble matches? Check out the latest odds for both the men’s and the women’s Rumble matches, taking place later this month.