Carmleo Hayes is finally a champion again.
The former NXT star had challenged Ilja Dragunov for the US title on the December 5 SmackDown. This match had ended with Tommaso Ciampa costing Melo the bout, without the champion's knowledge.
The two opponents then teamed up on last week's episode of the Blue Branded show to face DIY, where Hayes picked up the victory for his team.
As a result, Dragunov met the former NXT Champion in a backstage segment this Friday night. Ilja revealed his intention to close the US title open challenge, but offered Carmelo a title rematch out of respect.
Both opponents gave everything they had in the bout that took place later in the show. Many have called it a PPV-quality match from the two young stars. In the end, Carmelo Hayes picked up the victory with Nothing But Net, becoming the new US Champion.
This is the first main roster title for the 31-year-old since he made his SmackDown debut as the third overall draft pick back in April 2024. He had won multiple belts in NXT, which included the Cruiserweight and North American Titles as well.
This title change ends Ilja Dragunov's run with the championship at 70 days. He had defeated Sami Zayn during a SmackDown episode back in August for the championship.