United States title match set for WWE SmackDown

Shinsuke Nakamura is going from the WWE Championship picture to challenging for the United States title.

Nakamura and US Champion Jeff Hardy have started a program over the past couple of weeks and will face off in a title match on Tuesday’s SmackDown. WWE had Paige make the announcement on Twitter: “As General Manger of #SDLive, it’s my responsibility to make matches that you want to SEE … so, I’m making it official. @JeffHardyBrand will defend the #USTitle against @ShinsukeN THIS Tuesday.”

Hardy defeated Nakamura by disqualification in a non-title match on the go-home show for Money in the Bank, with Nakamura low blowing Hardy and then hitting him with the Kinshasa. Hardy cut a promo while wearing face paint and white contacts on last week’s episode where he said he wasn’t going to forget about what Nakamura did to him. He said that Nakamura opened his eyes, and Nakamura later responded by saying he’ll close them if Hardy crosses him again.

Hardy vs. Nakamura is the first match set for Tuesday’s SmackDown. The show is taking place at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.