Report: WWE promotes creative team member to SmackDown head writer

WWE reportedly has a new head writer for SmackDown.

John Swikata has been promoted to the role, according to a report from Fightful. He replaces Ryan Callahan, who is said to have departed the company.

Callahan had been the Vice President of SmackDown since February 2023, and before that was lead writer for the show beginning in June 2020. He was also named along with Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and other WWE creative team members in the lawsuit filed by former writer Britney Abrahams last year. The suit was voluntarily dismissed in August.

Swikata is said to be a well-liked member of the creative team and has been a senior writer with the company for years.

Fightful Select has confirmed that longtime WWE writer John Swikata has taken over as head writer on WWE Smackdown, at least as of earlier last week.

More on the move, reactions internally, and who he replaced for subscribers of @FightfulSelect pic.twitter.com/siNjTlhi8g

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) June 23, 2024

The WWE SmackDown that Swikata and the rest of the creative team presented this week was eventful. Drew McIntyre returned to attack CM Punk in his hometown of Chicago and Jacob Fatu debuted in a show-closing angle. The show takes place from Madison Square Garden next Friday.