The April 3, 2026, episode of WWE SmackDown ended on a dramatic note as Sami Zayn retained his United States title in a match against Carmelo Hayes in controversial manner. But it wasn’t just the result; there was also a strange moment involving Hayes’ injury.
The rematch was set up earlier in the night after last week’s controversial title change, where Zayn won with accidental help from Trick Williams. As Zayn got into a confrontation with Trick Williams in the ring, Hayes came in and demanded a rematch.
The match started strong, with both wrestlers trading holds, counters, and chops. Hayes showed off his athleticism as usual, while Zayn relied on his experience. Hayes even hit his Fade Away early for a near fall.
Carmelo Hayes landed on one leg but grabbed the other
The game-changing moment came when Hayes went for a high-risk dive over the top rope to the ringside. He did manage to hit Zayn but landed awkwardly and immediately looked hurt. After that, the match slowed down a bit as Hayes’ leg was compromised and he couldn’t move as freely.
But there was something odd. Even though Hayes landed on his right knee during the dive, he was holding his left leg in pain. Some fans even pointed out the moment on social media.
The injury was supposed to look very real, and Hayes tried his best to make the crowd feel that way with his performance. But grabbing the wrong leg is perhaps a big botch.
However, despite that, Hayes kept fighting. He hit moves like Codebreaker and La Mistica, trying to stay in the match. Still, his injury seemed to get worse. During a top-rope splash, he hurt his knee again and was in pain while the referee checked on him.
Seeing the chance, Zayn took advantage. While the referee was busy checking Hayes, he hit a Helluva Kick and got the win to retain his title. However, even though he won, his way of winning hasn’t sat well with many fans.
After the end of the match, Yachty made a “ginger” joke on Zayn. The champ went to confront him but got attacked by Williams from behind.
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