Once again, NXT's Carmelo Hayes is proving that he's never short on confidence
NXT star Carmelo Hayes has never been shy about sharing his feelings. He can sometimes be as brash as he is talented. He displayed that recently when he made it clear that he's got his sights set on a current WWE Superstar.
The former NXT North American Champion recently appeared on the Black Announce Table podcast and discussed who he would like to face on the company's main roster. He stated that he wants to face former WWE and Universal Champion Seth Rollins.
On top of that, Hayes boldly and explicitly guaranteed that he and The Visionary would face off at a future WrestleMania:
"There's a lot of guys," Hayes said. "I'm on Twitter, I'm vocal as hell. I say exactly what I'm thinking. I've been saying Seth. He has to be the one. Me and Seth, I'm going to work that dude at WrestleMania. I really am."
The 27-year-old isn't only after Rollins, however. He went on to list several other opponents he'd like to square off with in the future:
"Me and Seth, that's going to happen at WrestleMania. I feel it in my soul. Then there are guys like Kofi (Kingston), I want to get in there with Xavier (Woods), Roman (Reigns). I always go straight to the top. You should want to be in there with that guy, he's the guy. It's down the road type of thing. There are a lot of guys, I think they need me."
Carmelo Hayes has:
Debuted against Kushida
Gave Adam Cole a run for his money
Won the NXT Breakout Tournament
Has gotten an NXT Tag Team Title shot
And is now the NXT North American Champion.
All in 4 ½ months.
My boy is a STAR. Y’all better recognize. https://t.co/RyVSjaZADv
Make no mistake, Hayes is the real thing and gets his attitude honestly. Like that old song that says it's hard to be humble? He suffers from the same affliction.
And for good reason.
Hayes signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in early 2021 and wasted no time making his presence felt. The 27-year-old phenom has captured both the North American and Cruiserweight titles already in his short time with the brand.
The next stop for Carmelo Hayes appears to be either the NXT title or a spot on the main roster. Many fans and observers have stated on social media that they believe he will be on the main roster before the end of 2022.
Even though he hasn't been with WWE for very long, Hayes is considered one of the top prospects in NXT
Hayes is highly regarded by the powers that be in WWE, as evidenced by the fact that he's been put on the fast track to success in NXT. In time, he will likely have several opportunities to be a breakout performer for the promotion.
When I shoot, I don’t miss!
2021 #NXTBreakout Winner! 🏆 https://t.co/1JcX69iPti
While it's admirable that Carmelo has such confidence in his abilities, calling out a world class athlete like The Achitect may have been a mistake.
He's already a 'golden boy' in the WWE system, so he will already have a target on his back at the next level. One of those taking aim will probably be Seth Rollins now, and the maniacal madman will be a handful for the youngster.
At the same time, the NXT star may have just shot his own angle for when he's finally ready to make the move to the big leagues. It will be interesting to see if Rollins addresses these comments on television and if this eventually becomes part of the programming.
Either way? Carmelo Hayes made a huge statement by calling out one of the greatest in-ring performers in the world today. But as always? The kid is never short on confidence and clearly knows how to play the game.
Don't be surprised if his prediction comes true someday, and he's standing across the ring from Seth Rollins at WrestleMania.
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