Former champs of WWE NXT are set to clash next week as Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes square off for an opportunity to contest the WWE Speed Championship.
The pair are scheduled to face each other on the July 17 edition of WWE Speed. The triumphant combatant from this matchup will get to challenge Baron Corbin, who has already made it through the tournament this week following a victory against Angelo Dawkins.
Following the conclusion of the Corbin vs. Hayes/Dragunov fight, the winner will continue to challenge Andrade for the championship at a time to be decided. Andrade managed to secure his place as the second-ever WWE Speed Champion after mastering a win over Ricochet.
This upcoming bout continues the ongoing feud between the two fighters. During the WWE NXT: Great American Bash, Hayes successfully held onto the NXT World Championship against Dragunov.
Back in the WWE NXT: No Mercy 2023, Dragunov wrested the title from Hayes and successfully defended it against ‘HIM’ at WWE NXT: Halloween Havoc in the subsequent month.
“WWE Speed begins today! Today kicks off a new No.1 Contender Tournament! Who will advance to the #WWESpeed Semifinals – Will it be @AngeloDawkins or @BaronCorbinWWE? Let’s find out!” tweets WWE on July 10, 2024.