Carmelo Hayes wants to bring the same energy to the squared circle that Shawn Michaels used to do.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes recently sat down with Raj Prashad of UPROXX. When asked about being able to compete alongside the bigger competitors in WWE, Hayes credits that to his coaches.
“One time one of my coaches here, he said when you watch Shawn Michaels versus the Undertaker, you’re not looking at big guy, little guy. If you really think back on it, you’re just looking at an icon, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker,” Hayes said. “So, it’s the same energy.
“I don’t try and carry myself like a cruiserweight. On paper, yeah, I’m a cruiserweight. But in the ring, you’re not going to get that type of energy from me at all. I’m just as big as whoever my opponent is. And that’s kind of the mindset that I walk into every match with.”
When asked about defending his NXT Championship against Ilja Dragunov for the second time this weekend at No Mercy, Hayes said the first match was a lot of feeling each other out, and he’s going in with a lot to prove.
“I think we try to just give the fans something that they’re going to enjoy,” Carmelo Hayes said. “Knowing what to expect, I think in that first match, it was a lot of feeling each other out. We’d never been in the ring before, not training or anything, and we had good chemistry at that point. This time there’s a lot more on the line. I think a lot of people were questioning that first win that I had. So I think I have a lot to prove, even as champion.”
With one victory against Dragunov already under his belt, Hayes said he feels a lot more confident going into No Mercy this weekend.
“If you watch that last match, I wasn’t doing really too much high flying,” Carmelo Hayes said. “I wasn’t doing the kind of stuff that people are known for me doing. So I had to fight. He met his match because I came and I brought the fight to him. I feel a lot more confident than I did the first time around because now I think I know what to expect with Ilja.”
READ MORE: Carmelo Hayes Comments On Making History On 8/22 WWE NXT
What do you make of Carmelo Hayes’ comments? Do you think he’ll defeat Ilja Dragunov at NXT No Mercy? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
