WWE SmackDown, also known as Friday Night SmackDown or simply SmackDown, is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE. It airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the USA Network. SmackDown is the most viewed television show on Friday nights in the United States of America. Fox Deportes simulcasts the program with Spanish-language commentary. The show features characters from the SmackDown brand, to which WWE employees are assigned to work and perform. It is considered to be one of WWE's two flagship programs, along with Monday Night Raw.
Sean Michael Coulthard, better known by his ring name Michael Cole, is an American professional wrestling commentator and journalist. Since 1997, he is signed to WWE, where he serves as the play-by-play commentator for the SmackDown brand and as the vice president of announcing since 2020.
Joshua Matthew Lomberger, better known by the ring name Josh Mathews, is an American professional wrestling producer, former play by play commentator, and former professional wrestler. He is currently signed to TNA Wrestling (TNA), where he works as a senior producer and the senior director of digital media. He is also known for his time in WWE.
Ronnie Aaron Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth.
Natalie Katherine Neidhart-Wilson is a Canadian-American professional wrestler and columnist. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Natalya. She is a two-time women's world champion, having won the Divas Championship and SmackDown Women's Championship once each. She is also a one-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion with Tamina. She is a third generation professional wrestler, and is also the daughter of Hart Foundation member and Hall of Famer Jim Neidhart.
Rebecca Quin is an Irish-American professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE under the ring name Becky Lynch. Quin began training as a professional wrestler in 2002. Initially working in Ireland, and occasionally teaming with her brother using the ring name Rebecca Knox, she soon began wrestling across Europe and North America on the independent circuit for various promotions. She most notably competed in Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling and became the inaugural SuperGirls Champion in 2005. In 2006, Quin had a severe head injury during a match which kept her away from wrestling for several years. She returned in 2012 and signed a contract with WWE in 2013, assigned to the developmental territory at NXT. Following her push to WWE's main roster, she became the inaugural SmackDown Women's Champion at Backlash 2016 and has held the title five times.
Sarona Moana Marie Reiher Snuka-Polamalu is an American professional wrestler. She was best known for her time in WWE as Tamina. A second generation wrestler, she has been working with WWE since 2010, becoming one time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion and nine times WWE 24/7 Champion. She started as the manager of The Usos and later, become the enforcer of AJ Lee. During her career has been tag team partners with wrestlers like Natalya, Lana, and Nia Jax.
Trinity Fatu is an American professional wrestler and dancer. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Naomi.
Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado is an American professional wrestler and actress. As a wrestler, she has been signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) since January 2024, where she performs under the ring name Mercedes Moné and is the current AEW TBS Champion in her first reign. She also appears in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and its sister promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she is the current Strong Women's Champion in her first reign. Varnado became widely known for her time in WWE from 2012 to 2022, where she performed under the ring name Sasha Banks. She is the first and only female professional wrestler to win championships across WWE, AEW, and NJPW.
Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Charlotte Flair. She is currently out of action due to a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus.
Pamela Rose Martinez is an American professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Bayley. Her 380-day reign as WWE SmackDown Women's Champion, tied with Rhea Ripley, stands as the longest in the championship's history.
Alexis Cabrera is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs under the ring name Alexa Bliss. As of January 2023, she is inactive due to maternity leave.
Leah Van Dale is an American professional wrestler, dancer and model. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs under the ring name Carmella. She is a former WWE SmackDown Women's Champion, WWE Women's Tag Team Champion and WWE 24/7 Champion. She is currently inactive due to maternity leave.
Jeffrey Daniel Sciullo is an American professional wrestler and musician. He currently performs on the independent circuit under the ring name Elijah. He is best known for his tenure in WWE from 2014–2023, where he performed under the ring name Elias.
Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace, known professionally as Nikki Garcia, is an American television personality and retired professional wrestler. She is best known for her tenure in WWE from 2007 to 2022, in which she performed under the ring name Nikki Bella alongside her twin sister, Brie, as The Bella Twins. She is currently the host of the game show, Barmageddon.
Daria Rae Berenato is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Sonya Deville, and as a member of Pure Fusion Collective. She is a former one-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion.
Nicola Glencross is a Scottish professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Nikki Cross and is a member of The Wyatt Sicks faction. In WWE, she is a former one-time Raw Women's Champion, a three-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion, and an 11-time and final WWE 24/7 Champion.
Sarah Rowe is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where she performs under the ring name Valhalla as the now former manager of the former The Viking Raiders. From 2017 to 2019, she was a member of the stable The Riott Squad with Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott and performed under the name Sarah Logan. Bridges is also known for her tenure on the independent circuit, performing under the name Crazy Mary Dobson.
The history of WWF/E SmackDown!, began with the show's debut on August 26, 1999, in Kansas City, Missouri. The show was originally broadcast on Thursday nights but moved to Friday on September 9, 2005, before returning to Thursdays on January 15, 2015. On July 19, 2016, it was moved to Tuesday Nights. SmackDown! debuted in the United States on the UPN television network on April 29, 1999, but after the merger of UPN and the WB, SmackDown! began airing on The CW in September 2006. The show was moved to MyNetworkTV in October 2008, to Syfy on October 1, 2010 and to USA Network on January 7, 2016.
