Update on why first hour of June 19 WWE SmackDown aired commercial-free
WWE and USA Network reportedly planned for the first hour of last week’s SmackDown to air commercial-free in case the show went up against the NBA Finals.
Had the series between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs gone to a full seven games, Game 7 would have aired head-to-head against the June 19 SmackDown.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, the decision to run the first hour commercial-free was made well in advance.
The first hour of the June 19 SmackDown saw Cody Rhodes defend the WWE Championship against Gunther, with Sami Zayn serving as special guest referee. After a series of interactions with both wrestlers, Zayn fast-counted Gunther and awarded the match to Rhodes. This eventually led to a three-way match with Rhodes defending against both Zayn and Gunther at Night of Champions.
The 2026 NBA Finals concluded on June 13 after the New York Knicks won the series in five games.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.