Carmelo Hayes is one of those WWE talents who sees the greatness for himself that fans saw early on and lived up to it. In 2021, he won the NXT Breakout Tournament and became one of the most prominent NXT North American Champions. Two years later, he won the NXT Championship and ushered in the next generation for the WWE’s prestigious developmental brand.
“I’ve just been unrelenting for my own success,” Hayes told VIBE in September. “It’s been something where I was never going to be the guy to sit back and wait for an opportunity. There’s a story about how I went up to Shawn Michaels after my first match and I told him I wanted to be a top guy. That’s just the energy that I was bringing to the table. Thankfully, I didn’t let him down.”
The 29-year-old star held the NXT title for 182 days before losing it to Ilja Dragunov at NXT No Mercy. Dragunov is known for being one of the most violent, hard-hitting competitors on the NXT brand.
Melo has faced a slew of top talent, namely Bron Breakker, Wes Lee, Ricochet, and Finn Balor, so it was difficult to call just one person his toughest opponent ever. “Every opponent that [I’ve faced], especially for this NXT championship, has been tough,” he said. “There’s not been one opponent that I’ve faced that was easy. But as far as Ilja Dragunov, he’s just of a different breed. You’re not going to go in there and get your greatest hits off against him. You’re going to go in there, fight for your life, and hope you come out victorious.”
One unique aspect of the feud with Dragunov was the inclusion of Hayes’ running buddy, Trick Williams, who has ascended into stardom over the last few months. In their first match, Hayes secured the victory after Dragunov intentionally dove into the NXT title that Williams was holding.
Many criticized Melo for his supposed need to utilize Trick to win matches, but he sees things differently. “I took advantage [of an opportunity] and that’s what a champion does,” he said. “I wasn’t going to just sit, [lose] and ask for a rematch. ‘Oh no, no, no, something happened.’ Dragunov, he’s a wild man. He went for it and he paid for it and then I went off the top and ended him with Nothing But Net.”
Without Trick present, Melo took the loss. Currently, the friendship is in an odd place. The two were set to compete in a match back in October where the winner would qualify to face Dragunov for the NXT Title. Williams got jumped before the match and could not compete, and many people suspect Melo had something to do with it perhaps due to jealousy of his friend’s ascension.
Though Hayes has a lot of faith in his friend, he does believe there is a gap between the two especially given the fact Trick was positioned as his sidekick. “I think that I proved myself in a lot of ways, and I think it’s my time to step to the right and then allow Trick to start getting some accolades under his belt,” he said. “That whole sidekick thing, get that stank off of him [and] become a star.”
Williams has done that. On the same night Melo lost the NXT title to Dragunov, Williams defeated “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio for the NXT North American championship, his first-ever title in the WWE.
As far as a match between the two for the NXT title he once held, Hayes didn’t believe it was the right time for two specific reasons. “I think there’s a lot that Trick would have to do, respectfully, to qualify to challenge for the NAC title,” he said. “I didn’t get the NXT title shot overnight. [That’s] nothing against Trick, but there’s levels to what we do here. I wouldn’t think that somebody can just [have] one moment, get a couple of matches, and then get an NXT championship match. At the moment, I don’t think that that’s just his destination for him.”
Beyond Melo feeling like Trick has some more work to do, he believed that there was more power in them as a unit than as foes. “I know two legends can coexist,” he said. “I know it’s a dream thing to pit people against each other, but I think him and I are stronger as a unit.” Trick ‘N’ Melo Gang is one component of a larger unit within the WWE: Black wrestlers.
There have been several instances of veterans taking the time to mentor younger talent, whether on-screen or off, and Melo had glowing reviews of multiple trailblazers in the company. “I feel like every Black wrestler that I’ve met has just shown so much love,” he said. “Like Booker T, even Big E, just from top to bottom. It’s just like an unspoken camaraderie in a lot of ways. Booker for example, he wants the best for all talent, but Black talent as well. Booker T’s has been a huge advocate for helping with my progress.”
Another impactful Black talent over the years has been MVP, who experienced a career resurgence in 2020 when he operated as the leader of The Hurt Business with Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander.
Carmelo Hayes and MVP have been seen training together and speaking on-screen, leading many to ponder whether or not he may join a reformed Hurt Business down the line. “Shoot, that’d be cool,” he said enthusiastically. “Right now I’m so focused on what I got going on here in NXT. It’s going to take a lot more than just showing up and dapping me up to get me over there. I’m not thirsty for any membership. If they want me, they can holler at me and we can talk business. Respect to them [,though,] because they’re my brothers for real.”
Hayes had the right idea, as there is a difference between being just a WWE superstar and being a champion in the WWE. He was very open about the responsibilities that come with that. “It’’s just living up to that expectation of you’re the big headline name that’s going to make or break [a] PLE,” he said. “If it doesn’t sell out, who they blaming? They’re blaming me. If the match doesn’t deliver to people’s expectations, they’re blaming me as champion. It’s a lot of pressures. I saw a lot of people [who were] very critical of Bron. Best way I can put it, it puts a microscope on everything that you do.”
He mentioned that it’s not just the fans he has to worry about either. “Your peers, [the] people that you work for,” he said. “There’s a lot of setting an example in so many different ways besides just going out in the ring and killing it. Doing things like this [interview], showing up to train and just being that sort of leader, even if it’s unspoken. It really keeps you sharp and I love it. I thrive under this type of pressure. I’ll take this over taking being ignored any day.”
Carmelo Hayes’ run in NXT is commendable as he has successfully made it look easy. As he embarks on his journey back to the NXT Championship and navigates the awkward tension in his on-screen friendship with Trick Williams, one can only imagine what other awe-inspiring moments he will provide. The “Him” era may be over, but Melo never stops being the person he always knew he could be.