Carmelo Hayes is a rising star in NXT. The 29-year-old has been active in the industry since 2014. He signed a developmental contract with the sports entertainment juggernaut in 2021.
Hayes made his WWE NXT debut by answering KUSHIDA’s open challenge for the NXT North American Championship. He would confront Adam Cole in a losing effort on the June 22, 2021, episode of the brand.
Hayes would solidify himself as a main event player by winning the Men’s Breakout Tournament later that year. His championship catalog features NXT Cruiserweight, North American, as well as two NXT Championship reigns.
Carmelo Hayes has received praise from fans and critics alike for his in-ring work. Let’s take a look at some of his best matches in WWE so far:
Men’s WarGames Match (NXT WarGames 2021)
The past and the present of NXT collided in this high-stakes match at WarGames 2021. The storyline had already written itself in the lead-up to the match. You had the old guard wanting to retain their hold against five of the very best in NXT.
Some of the spots were really well done in this match. It’s incredible to see that two of the four stars from Team 2.0 are doing great on Friday Night SmackDown. Who knew Bron Breakker, the star of this match, would be competing in the Dusty Tag Team Classic in 2024.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Ricochet (NXT North American Title Match – Worlds Collide 2022)
Ricochet showed up unannounced to challenge Carmelo Hayes for his North American Championship. Both men delivered a red-hot opener to set the tone for the rest of the Premium Live Event.
The mid-air collision was one of the highlights of the night. Ricochet would recreate the same spot with Logan Paul at Royal Rumble 2023. This clash of generations capped off with a huge win for Melo.
Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge (NXT Deadline 2022)
Shawn Michaels introduced an innovative concept in 2022. The Heartbreak Kid announced the Men and Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge for NXT Deadline. These two matches replaced Men and Women’s WarGames matches on the White and Gold Brand.
The first Iron Survivor Challenge featured great action and some innovative spots. JD McDonagh took a lot of beating in this match. Carmelo Hayes and Axiom put on a show with their athleticism.
But when it was all said and done, Grayson Waller emerged as the Iron Survivor.
Fatal Five-Way Ladder Match (NXT Halloween Havoc 2022)
It’s often difficult to tell a great story without all the convoluted spots in a multi-man ladder match. That being said, this fatal five-way bout from NXT Halloween Havoc 2022 featured the right mix of in-ring action and storytelling.
All men involved played their part to perfection. Melo, Frazer, Mensah, and Lee fired on all cylinders as the ultimate risk takers. Von Wagner, with his size and lack of experience, did a terrific job as the demolition man.
For those unware, this is the match that kicked off Wes Lee’s iconic North American Championship run.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Dragunov (NXT No Mercy 2023)
Arguably the best match in the critically acclaimed trilogy between Melo and Ilja! This No Mercy outing won NXT Year End Awards in the Match of the Year category. Both men knocked it out of the park in this methodical yet brutal match.
Melo had barely survived Ilja at NXT: The Great American Bash. The Mad Dragon brought out his most ferocious side, forcing the champion to up his game. Ilja took some brutal bumps in this match.
In the end, the challenger toppled the champion to kick off the era of The Czar.
Honorable Mentions
- Vs. Roderick Strong (NXT: New Year’s Evil 2022)
- Fatal Five-Way Ladder Match (NXT Stand & Deliver 2022)
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Wes Lee (NXT Heatwave 2023)
- Vs. Kevin Owens (Friday Night SmackDown)
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Ilja Dragunov (NXT: The Great American Bash 2023)
Also read: Best NXT PLE Matches Of 2023
