4 mistakes Triple H must not make when WWE SmackDown moves to 3 hours

WWE has been undergoing numerous big changes in 2024. For example, SmackDown moved away from network television for the first time in five years and returned to the USA Network. Meanwhile, NXT did the opposite, moving to The CW from traditional cable.

Things don't look to be slowing down in 2025. For the first time ever, Monday Night RAW will be shifting from cable to streaming when the red brand joins Netflix beginning on January 6. SmackDown will also have yet another change too.

Starting in January, SmackDown will move from the traditional two-hour time slot to a three-hour time slot. This follows RAW, the first World Wrestling Entertainment show to air weekly for three hours, making SmackDown the second program to be extended for this length.

This move should shake things up dramatically and it could be a major positive. Despite that, there are some key mistakes Triple H must avoid making, as otherwise, this change could end up being a net negative for the company. What mistakes must be avoided?

Below are four mistakes Triple H must not make when WWE SmackDown moves to three hours.

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#4. He can't strip NXT of too many major players

SmackDown moving from two hours to three hours likely means the WWE brand will get some new talent. More specifically, there will probably be some performers called up from NXT to join the main roster.

The likes of Roxanne Perez, Trick Williams, Oba Femi, Tony D'Angelo, Cora Jade, Axiom, Nathan Frazer, and Giulia are all potential call-ups to WWE SmackDown. With that being said, Triple H needs to be careful.

The Game can't call up too many stars from NXT and leave the silver & black brand in a tough spot. It could be argued that the men's side of NXT is already lacking in depth. Major call-ups would leave the brand in an even more difficult position. The King of Kings must be careful.

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#3. Triple H must not neglect WWE talent who are already on the roster and not getting enough screen time

The move to three hours could be huge for several WWE stars, especially those who are struggling to get consistent television time right now. There are a handful of performers on SmackDown who are rarely seen or, at the very least, rarely do anything of importance.

For example, Giovanni Vinci, Pretty Deadly, Luke Gallows, B-Fab, Blair Davenport, and, to some extent, Legado del Fantasma as a whole, aren't utilized to the best of their abilities. With a three-hour WWE SmackDown each week, that could change, at least in theory.

In conjunction with the previous entry, Triple H needs to be careful not to bring on too many other fresh stars and leave those who need television time in the cold. Vinci, Pretty Deadly, Blair, and others are too talented to never use. If they're left inactive even when SmackDown moves to three hours, it could cause locker room unrest.

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#2. He can't overexpose The Bloodline

The Bloodline saga has been the biggest overarching angle in WWE for over four years now. As soon as Roman Reigns turned heel and the angle developed, it quickly became the biggest thing in the company.

Today, there are two Bloodline groups. The O.G. Bloodline led by Roman Reigns and The New Bloodline led by Solo Sikoa. Both have great talent and there have been many great moments, but Triple H needs to be careful. WWE cannot overexpose the group when SmackDown moves to three hours.

The Bloodline already gets enough time on a week-to-week basis. If anything, it could be argued that with two groups, they may get more time than necessary. If The Game utilizes the extra hour for more Bloodline, it may overexpose the group and ultimately kill the appeal of the ongoing storyline. That would be a mistake.

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#1. The Game can't fill the extra hour with just longer matches

The final mistake Triple H and WWE should avoid when it comes to a three-hour episode of SmackDown is stretching the show out by simply padding the matches with more time. They must actually put effort into the show.

For a long time, it felt like WWE RAW was a two-hour edition of the show stretched out to make up for the extra hour. This was especially true under the Vince McMahon-led regime, as The Game seems to have made three hours work far better.

Still, it is an easy mistake to make. Triple H shouldn't just add five minutes to each match booked in an effort to make the show longer. Instead, the quality and care that goes into the first two hours of the program must also go into the final hour. Match time added won't help the show, nor will it interest most fans.