Carmelo Hayes is already teasing a potential throwback following his latest championship victory on SmackDown.
 
Hayes captured the WWE United States Championship on the December 26 episode of SmackDown, defeating Ilja Dragunov to win the title and end Dragunov’s 70 day reign as champion.

Shortly after his win, fans resurfaced comments Hayes made back in 2023, when he stated that if he ever won the United States Championship, he would bring back the spinner version of the belt. A fan referenced those remarks on X, and Hayes acknowledged it by responding with a single emoji, adding fuel to speculation that a classic design could return.

The WWE United States Spinner Championship was famously introduced by John Cena in 2004. The spinning centre plate became closely associated with Cena’s Doctor of Thuganomics persona and remained one of the most recognisable title designs of its era.

The Cena connection is particularly notable given Hayes’ recent involvement in the Last Time Is Now tournament, which was held to determine Cena’s final opponent. Hayes was eliminated in the quarterfinals by GUNTHER, who went on to defeat Cena in his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event earlier this month.

Following the title change, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H praised Hayes on social media and hinted at what could be next. He wrote that the year is not over until the bell rings, congratulating Hayes on becoming the new United States Champion and teasing big things ahead.

With his first reign as United States Champion now underway, Hayes heads into the road to the Royal Rumble, which takes place on January 31, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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, Carmelo Hayes (@Carmelo_WWE) December 28, 2025