New Delhi: A WWE Hall of Famer has been reportedly named as the new co-lead writer of the Friday night SmackDown. The blockbuster show has recently increased its duration to three hours and will continue with this format till June 2025. John Swikata is the lead writer of SmackDown, and Brian James will join in the role and will head the creative for the SmackDown brand going ahead, according to the PWInsider report.
James was working as a writer for SmackDown in December 2016 before becoming one of the lead writers of the show. He was released from WWE in 2022 as part of a restructuring of the NXT brand but later returned to the company in August of that year as the new Senior Vice President of Live Events. The Hall of Famer brings a huge experience to the team, having been an integral part of creative and talent departments throughout his WWE career.
James along with his partner Billy Gunn became one of the most celebrated pairs in the history of the WWE. They were a crucial part of the WWE’s attitude Era during their reign over the tag division.
WWE going through major changes
Earlier this year, WWE revealed that SmackDown is set to become a three-hour-long show. The expansion of SmackDown is seen as a part of WWE’s partnership with streaming platform Netflix. The Monday Night RAW is also going through big changes as it has moved from Comcast USA Network to Netflix in January 2025.
After the shift to Netflix, the 2025 Royal Rumble set new records in viewership across the globe. The USA’s broadcaster Peacock’s number increased by nearly 14% to the previous record. The international viewership also surged even higher due to the new global deal with Netflix. Despite some earlier doubts about Netflix’s foray into live sports especially after a poor and disappointing streaming of the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson match, the partnership with WWE has already broken multiple records.
A WWE Hall of Famer is now the co-lead writer of WWE SmackDown, joining John Swikata. WWE has recently extended the duration of Friday Night’s event. WWE Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
