Breaking Down The Belts: Trick Williams' WWE Men's United States Championship

Trick Williams won his first main roster gold in his first-ever WrestleMania moment at WWE WrestleMania 42 when he dethroned United States Champion Sami Zayn. Williams was called up from "WWE NXT" in early 2026 and has been making waves on "WWE SmackDown" ever since.

Though he initially debuted as a heel, he quickly got over with fans, thanks in part to his excellent mic skills, superstar look, and a catchy phrase about his fancy white boots, his "lemon pepper steppers." As a former NXT Champion, Williams' in-ring ability isn't something to be looked past, either.

Williams' storyline with Zayn involved everything from rapper Lil Yachty at ringside, a diss track, and a life-sized gingerbread man costume, as he dubbed Zayn "the Gingerbread Man" due to his hair color. Their feud didn't end at WrestleMania, and Williams will be challenged by Zayn at Backlash in a 'Mania rematch for the gold.

With just how over Williams is with fans in arenas and online, and how Zayn seems to be turning fully heel, especially after a unique segment where he cut a promo, then beat down the gingerbread man costume, it doesn't look as though Williams is dropping the title back to Zayn. Williams has also done away with the babyface United States Championship open challenge on the blue brand, so it's also unlikely he drops the gold to anyone anytime soon, and when he does, it will be on a bigger premium live event stage.

If Zayn isn't winning the title back from Williams at Backlash, we think there are two likely candidates for who becomes the next United States Champion. There's one clear winner, due to his history with the current champion, and a newcomer who could win the belt to gain some much-needed momentum on the main roster.

Carmelo Hayes has had a wave of fan support behind him since his time teaming with The Miz following his call-up from "NXT." From social media support with fans using "#WeWantMelo," resulting in him breaking away from Miz for the second time and turning babyface, to those same fans being upset at the fact that 'Melo missed WrestleMania, it feels like the former NXT Champion will always have crowds and online fans behind him. With his vast history with Williams on top of all that support, it certainly seems like Hayes will win back the United States Championship from his former friend eventually.

Hayes and Williams were once thick as thieves on "NXT" as the "Trick Melo Gang," and it was Hayes to introduce Williams to the Performance Center crowd. They went their separate ways, amicably, after two-and-a-half years, but a feud with Ilja Dragunov for the NXT title would drive them further apart, leading to a feud between them, and it's one many fans of the developmental brand remember fondly.

Their pair had their first singles match against one another at Stand & Deliver 2024, then another in a steel cage in an attempt to settle the feud in the following weeks on "NXT." Williams would capture the title that month, right around the time 'Melo was called up.

The pair have a ton of chemistry both in the ring and on the mic, and it's something WWE needs to explore on the main roster. So far, they've only faced one another in a triple threat match. Williams can easily lean more heel in their feud, but both men are so good that it might not even matter. It also feels like a bigger feud, one meant to culminate at an event like SummerSlam, so Williams' reign could still be lengthy.

Former NXT Champion Ricky Saints made his main roster debut on the May 1 edition of "WWE SmackDown" when he went toe-to-toe against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, but he failed to topple the champion in non-title action and was pinned off a single Cross Rhodes. While many fans online considered the "Absolute's" main roster debut lackluster, WWE creative could easily make up for it by booking him to win the United States Championship from Williams quickly after Williams' successful defense over Zayn at Backlash.

While many fans expect Williams to have a long title reign, as he's incredibly over with fans despite currently playing a tweener, WWE could do the shocking thing and put Saints over. It would get Saints heel heat and push Williams further toward a babyface role.

Saints and Williams battled in a four-and-a-quarter-star (according to Dave Meltzer) Last Man Standing match on an episode of "NXT" back in November, and it was one of only two singles matches between the pair. I'm not sure how many main roster fans saw either of those matches, so putting them in a feud on "SmackDown" would only be a good thing. Between their in-ring chemistry and how they can match one another on the mic, it would be an entertaining feud.

The title doesn't have to be off Williams for long, and he could beat Saints to get it back and then move on to his bigger feud in Hayes. Or, Williams could even move on to compete for the top title against Rhodes, if officials deem him ready. Either way, a short title reign and fiery feud with Williams would get some more "oomph" behind Saints, for lack of a better term, and that's something he really needs after his debut.