Felix Upton on December 27, 2025
Just after capturing his first main roster title, Carmelo Hayes is wasting no time proving he’s a fighting champion.
Fresh off his win on the December 26 episode of SmackDown, where he pinned Ilja Dragunov to become the new WWE United States Champion, Hayes has announced that he’ll defend the title tonight, December 27, at WWE’s non-televised Holiday Tour live event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Taking to Twitter, Hayes made it clear that the celebration phase is already over—and now it’s all about putting in the work.
“Appreciate all the love and excitement. Low key feels like a win for all of us, but time to get to work fr,” he wrote. “Tonight – Pittsburgh, PA 🎯 #WWEHolidayTour Putting the title on the line, let’s see who wants to ball out with the A Champ.”
The title win marked a major milestone for Hayes, who has rapidly ascended from NXT standout to a key player on the main roster. Now, with a target on his back, the self-proclaimed “A Champ” is daring anyone to step up—starting tonight in Steel City.
Who do you think should be Carmelo Hayes’ first major televised challenger? Are you buying into his U.S. title run already? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
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