Cam Skattebo poses with the WWE Most Valuable Player Belt IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

WWE Bringing Friday Night SmackDown To Big 12 Football Markets This Fall

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Rick Ucchino | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 8:25 AM ET

WWE and the Big 12 Conference announced an expansion of their multi-faceted partnership Wednesday morning that will see four episodes of Friday Night SmackDown broadcast from Big 12 markets on the eve of conference games this upcoming football season.

Chris Vannini of The Athletic first broke this story back in May.

This expanded partnership with the Big 12 will officially kick off on Friday, August 22 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The 30th year of Big 12 Football will then get underway with a Week 0 matchup between the Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas State Wildcats in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, August 23 at Aviva Stadium.

IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The other three Big 12 markets that will host Friday Night SmackDown this football season include Cincinnati, Tempe and Salt Lake City.

Friday, August 22 – SmackDown at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland (Iowa State vs. Kansas State on Saturday, August 23)
Friday, October 3 – SmackDown at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio (Iowa State at Cincinnati on Saturday, October 4)
Friday, October 24 – SmackDown at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona (Houston at Arizona State on Saturday, October 25)
Friday, October 31 – SmackDown at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (Cincinnati at Utah on Saturday, November 1)