The mystery surrounding Carmelo Hayes’ open challenge didn’t last long — because WWE has now locked in an opponent for tonight’s SmackDown.
According to PWInsider, Ilja Dragunov will be revealed as the man stepping up to face Hayes on the March 20 episode of Friday Night SmackDown. The match had originally been announced as a United States Championship Open Challenge, leaving fans wondering who would answer the call. That guessing game is now over.
Now that the mystery has been solved, all eyes turn to what happens once the bell rings — because when Hayes and Dragunov collide, things usually don’t stay calm for long.
WWE SmackDown — March 20, 2026 Confirmed Card
- Randy Orton will explain his attack on Cody Rhodes
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: The Irresistible Forces (c) vs. The Bella Twins
- WWE Tag Team Championship: The MFTs (c) vs. Damian Priest & R-Truth
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Dragunov (opponent revealed via PWInsider update)
- Motor City Machine Guns vs. Fraxiom
- Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu
- Kit Wilson will call out Jelly Roll
- Trick Williams is scheduled to appear
Be sure to tune in live and follow along with Ringside News for full play-by-play coverage over in our SmackDown results section.
Do you think Ilja Dragunov was the right choice to answer Carmelo Hayes’ challenge, or were you expecting someone else to step into that spot? Let us know what you think.
