The December 26th edition of “Friday Night SmackDown” saw Ilja Dragunov continue his open challenge run as the WWE United States Champion. This time, we saw Dragunov’s open challenge answered by one of the hottest up-and-comers in WWE today, and someone who’s been long overdue for a serious title shot, Carmelo Hayes.
Since it was a taped show, spoilers have long come out that Hayes was set to win the title in this one. However, it doesn’t change the fact that this moment was monumental and special for Hayes. Hopefully, it is the start to Hayes getting the strong singles run that fans have wanted to see since he joined the main roster, the same run he had on NXT.
Carmelo Hayes’ WWE United States Championship win is long overdue.
Carmelo Hayes’s booking on the main roster has been one of the most talked-about and controversial topics online in 2025. Fans have pointed out that Hayes’s booking compares to others who have come up from WWE NXT in the same draft and since then. Several others have already held titles and experienced important storylines.
However, Hayes has remained stuck in some meaningless angles with The Miz and has taken several losses. This in no way is a knock on The Miz, but it’s about time Hayes is given a serious run on SmackDown. The moment has come, and how WWE handles Hayes as the United States Champion will help to set the tone when it comes to battling the narratives about the company and it’s booking.
When 2025 comes to an end, Carmelo Hayes will officially be a champion in the WWE. Fans have long pushed for this moment, and it has finally come. Hayes represents something extremely important on the main roster, and everything that happens with him is going to be heavily scrutinized. Now that he has the United States Championship, fans will be watching very closely to see what happens next.
First things first, Carmelo Hayes can’t have a run as a champion that is akin to what Shinsuke Nakamura experienced. Nakamura won the title in 2024, held it for 90 days, and lost it to LA Knight a few months later. In those 90 days, he defended the title once, winning via DQ over the same man who beat him for the title, Knight. Simply, there was no thought or care put into Nakamura’s third run as United States Champion, and that can’t happen with Hayes.
Continuing the Open Challenge run that Sami Zayn started, and Dragunov continued, would be interesting. However, WWE should go another route with Hayes as champion. The Open Challenge has helped the United States Championship mean something again, similar to Gunther’s run with the Intercontinental Championship, but it’s time to change that trope up a little bit.
Dragunov had some incredible matches as champion, and that’s not a point that can be argued. However, through it all, none of the matches were on a WWE premium live event. Not being included on those shows adds fuel to the fire that WWE doesn’t have any long-term plans for that championship or anyone involved. WWE has to do something different with Hayes.
Hayes deserves a long run with important stories involved that will help elevate him and build some investment into his character that fans have already begun to turn away from. The best part is that it’s right there for WWE, cut and dry. The blueprint for WWE to make the United States Championship mean something with Hayes as champion is truly right there.
Look at how Gunther was built as the Intercontinental Champion. He had a lengthy run that had stories mixed within it. That formula worked and catapulted him to the main event star we see before us today, with or without a championship. Now, this doesn’t mean that Hayes needs a run that lasts hundreds of days or anything, but he needs a run that has meaning. That’s all fans want to see, something that means something.
Carmelo Hayes is walking into 2026 as a champion. He finally captured his first singles belt on the main roster after becoming one of the best NXT Champions in history. WWE has to treat his first title run with care. Anything less will be closely looked at and scrutinized, and at this point, the WWE would deserve it.
With or without a title, Hayes is one of the most talented members of the WWE main event roster. As we saw in his time on NXT, Hayes has all the potential to not only be a mid-card talent, but also be a main level guy sooner rather than later. It all starts right here and right now. It’s great to see Hayes holding the United States Championship, but for WWE, now is where the real work begins.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next time
– Scott Mitchell
You can follow me on X (Twitter) and Instagram @Scott44Mitchell
