CW network drops ‘Smackdown’

Pro wrestling is getting smacked down by the CW network.

The long-running “Friday Night Smackdown” won’t be airing on the CW this fall, according to the network and World Wrestling Entertainment.

In separate announcements, they stated that “after a successful decade of ‘Smackdown,’ ” they had agreed to conclude their partnership after the 2007-08 season. No reasons were offered.

WWE added that it began talks with other networks after the CW’s exclusive period to negotiate a renewal ended Jan. 31.

Candidates might include NBC Universal – whose USA cable channel already carries “WWE Raw” – and MyNetworkTV, where some affiliates aired “Smackdown” when they were UPN stations.

The two-hour “Smackdown” premiered on then-fledgling UPN, which later morphed into the CW, in fall 1999.