Je’Von Evans Answers US Title Open Challenge on SmackDown – On the September 26 episode of SmackDown, United States Champion Sami Zayn continued his open challenge tradition, defending his title against Je’Von Evans. The fast-paced contest saw Evans push Zayn to his limit, including a nearfall after hitting his OG Cutter. Zayn survived the scare, avoiding a top-rope move from Evans before landing a Helluva Kick and following with the Blue Thunder Bomb to secure the victory.

Following the match, Zayn showed sportsmanship by hugging Evans and helping him to his feet, even raising his hand in a sign of respect. However, Evans’ night quickly turned sour. As he recovered outside the ring, he was blindsided by Josh Briggs, Evans’ scheduled opponent at the upcoming NXT No Mercy premium live event. Briggs’ ambush added fuel to their already tense rivalry heading into Saturday’s showdown.

Since capturing the United States Championship last month, Zayn has adopted a John Cena–style open challenge format, welcoming competitors from across WWE. He first defended against Rey Fenix in a successful debut challenge, followed by a high-profile clash with Cena himself that ended in a no contest due to interference from Brock Lesnar. Last week, Zayn retained against Carmelo Hayes before defeating Evans in his latest defense.

Zayn’s open challenge series continues to generate buzz, while Evans now heads into No Mercy with added motivation after Briggs’ surprise attack.

Je’Von Evans Answers US Title Open Challenge on SmackDown

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