Summary

The March 27, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown featured a WWE United States Championship match between Carmelo Hayes and Sami Zayn, with Zayn winning the title. With the championship now around his waist, Zayn is set to defend against Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42. The result generated a notable negative response online, with the match video on YouTube drawing 12,000 dislikes against 8,000 likes, and the SmackDown episode scoring a 1.74 overall on Cagematch.net.

Winner

Sami Zayn defeated Carmelo Hayes to capture the WWE United States Championship on the March 27, 2026 edition of SmackDown.

Fan Reaction

The YouTube comment section for the match became a focal point for the backlash. Fans made clear that many had expected a Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams match at WrestleMania 42, and the booking did not land well. Comments from viewers included:

"So we just couldn't do Carmelo VS Trick at Mania my gosh man🤦🏽‍♂️"

"Poor Carmelo Hayes 💔😭🥺"

"The 'underdog' strikes again"

"Ruthless Depression"

What This Means for Hayes and the WrestleMania 42 Card

Sami Zayn enters WrestleMania 42 as US Champion with Trick Williams now confirmed as his challenger, a pairing WWE has pointed toward for weeks as Williams has been positioning himself for a WrestleMania moment. For Carmelo Hayes, who successfully defended the title through multiple SmackDown challenges, the result is a significant step back at the worst possible time in the calendar. The fan frustration centers on Hayes and Williams sharing years of NXT history together, making that a natural WrestleMania payoff that now will not happen.

Sources

As reported by NoDQ.