Carmelo Hayes just added gold to his SmackDown resume.
On the December 26th episode of WWE SmackDown, Hayes answered Ilja Dragunov’s open challenge and defeating him to capture the WWE United States Championship — marking his first reign with the title.
The match ended with a slick counter sequence: Dragunov went for a high-risk top-rope move, only for Hayes to catch him mid-air with a codebreaker, then follow up with his signature Nothing But Net for the pinfall victory.
Dragunov personally strapped the title around Carmelo’s waist, signaling a passing of the torch moment between two of WWE’s most explosive athletes.
Dragunov’s reign, though short, was impressive. He held the U.S. Title for 63 days (dating from when the episode was taped) and racked up seven successful defenses, taking on names like Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, JD McDonagh, Axiom, and even Aleister Black in weekly open challenges.
For Carmelo Hayes, this win isn’t just a title victory — it’s another major step in proving that “Melo don’t miss” on the main roster.
What do you think of Carmelo Hayes as U.S. Champion? Was now the right time to end Dragunov’s run? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
December 26, 2025 9:10 pm
