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WWE has officially announced a location swap for upcoming episodes of “Monday Night Raw” and “Friday Night SmackDown” scheduled for early 2026. This comes during a busy period for the company as it prepares for “Saturday Night’s Main Event” this weekend in Salt Lake City. Following that, WWE presents “Survivor Series: WarGames” on November 29 at Petco Park in San Diego, and John Cena’s final match at another “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on December 13 from Washington, D.C. The fallout from these major shows is expected to set the stage for the 2026 schedule. As part of that schedule, WWE had previously announced several dates for its “WWE Live Holiday Tour.” This included a January 2 episode of “SmackDown” at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and a January 5 episode of “Raw” at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. These locations for the tapings have now been swapped. “Friday Night SmackDown” on January 2 will now emanate from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Consequently, “Monday Night Raw” on January 5 will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match A WWE multi-person match taking place during an episode of “Monday Night Raw.” (via WWE.com) A promotional poster for the newly relocated “SmackDown” show in Buffalo has been released, featuring top stars such as Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Jacob Fatu, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, and Chelsea Green. According to a report from PWInsider, WWE fans who already purchased tickets for either of the originally scheduled shows can receive refunds at their point of purchase. Following these January shows, WWE will immediately begin a European tour, starting with the January 9 edition of “SmackDown” at the Uber Arena in Berlin. These early 2026 episodes of “Raw” and “SmackDown” will air during an exciting part of the WWE calendar. They will be pivotal in building storylines for the 2026 “Royal Rumble,” which is scheduled for January 31 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The build to the “Royal Rumble” matches is expected to feature numerous twists and turns. Early fan predictions for the Men’s “Royal Rumble” Match winner include Sami Zayn, which could set him on a path to capture his first World Title at “WrestleMania 42.” Other names discussed as potential winners are CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Bron Breakker. For the Women’s “Royal Rumble” Match, a potential return for the injured Liv Morgan is a popular scenario. Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and AJ Lee are also considered realistic candidates to win. Both “Raw” and “SmackDown” are expected to feature significant star power as the road to “WrestleMania 42” begins. The swapped January shows will be dealing with the immediate aftermath of this weekend’s “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on November 1st. Several stars advertised for the Buffalo “SmackDown” show—Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Jade Cargill, and Tiffany Stratton—are all involved in major championship matches on that card. Furthermore, the early “Royal Rumble” speculation surrounding CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Bron Breakker will be directly influenced by the results of “Survivor Series: WarGames” on November 29th. More WWE News: Released WWE Superstar Retires From Pro Wrestling Released WWE Star Breaks Silence On Departure Released WWE Star Wants To Join AEW For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
