After claiming the United States Championship at the close of 2025, Carmelo Hayes has maintained his tradition of issuing open challenges every Friday night on SmackDown, firmly establishing himself as a relentless and dedicated champion. Throughout his title run, Hayes has successfully defended his championship against notable competitors such as Rey Fenix, Shinsuke Nakamura, Johnny Gargano, and Leon Slater.
This naturally raises curiosity about who will be the next contender to accept Hayes’ open challenge on SmackDown and potentially claim the championship from him.
Here are ten wrestlers who could be next in line to face Carmelo Hayes in a United States Title Open Challenge on WWE SmackDown.
10. Ilya Dragunov
On the January 23rd episode of SmackDown, Carmelo Hayes managed to retain his United States Championship by defeating Ilya Dragunov. However, Dragunov’s loss was heavily influenced by outside interference from The Miz, which prevented him from earning an immediate rematch opportunity for the title.
In the following show on January 30th, Dragunov expressed his intention to challenge Hayes once more for the championship. After a subsequent victory over The Miz during the same episode, “The Mad Dragon” is poised to step up again to confront Hayes and participate in the open challenge that has played a crucial role in Hayes’ rise as a fighting champion.
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Fan Take: Carmelo Hayes’ open challenge strategy keeps the WWE United States Championship scene unpredictable and exciting, which WWE fans always appreciate. A rivalry with Ilya Dragunov could bring a fresh intensity to the title picture, potentially elevating both performers and adding thrilling moments to SmackDown.
