What did 29-year-old star say to Shawn Michaels backstage at the end of recent WWE show? 3 things he may have said
WWE NXT was an exciting show. A new tournament kicked off, a Steel Cage Match opened the show, and a women's Fatal Four-Way Match tore the house down in the main event. While that bout was the last match on the show, it wasn't technically the final part of NXT this week.
In a very brief post-match segment, NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes was seen walking backstage. This came after he showed frustration over an "asterisk" next to his name in the record books. He then had a chat with his friend Trick Williams, but Hayes was clearly on edge.
He was still worked up by the end of the show when he walked down the Performance Center hallway to Shawn Michaels' office. The Heartbreak Kid is the boss on the white & gold brand, which means Carmelo Hayes meant business. He knocked on the door and it opened up, but fans didn't get to learn about what the pair discussed.
Despite no confirmation over what was said, there are a few potential options. This article will look at what the 29-year-old champ may have said to the Hall of Famer and how that may impact his career in the immediate future.
#3. Carmelo Hayes may have said that he wants to fight Ilja Dragunov
One thing that became evident during WWE NXT is that Carmelo Hayes' controversial victory over Ilja Dragunov is messing with his head. He found himself asking his best friend Trick Williams if he believes Hayes can truly defeat The Mad Dragon.
The two faced off at The Great American Bash and had a show-stealing match. Ilja took Carmelo to his very limit. When he attempted to strike Hayes outside of the ring, however, the latter moved and The Mad Dragon crashed into Trick Williams, hitting his head against the NXT Championship belt.
Carmelo may have walked into Shawn Michaels' office and demanded the WWE Hall of Famer give Ilja Dragunov another title opportunity. While it is risky, The A-Champion needs to prove to himself that he can put Dragunov down. Fighting again without Trick ringside may be the only way to find out the truth.
#2. He may have proposed Ilja Dragnov and Wes Lee should clash for a title shot
While Ilja Dragunov wants and arguably deserves another shot at the WWE NXT Championship, there are other top challengers looking to win the gold. One such challenger took Carmelo Hayes to his absolute limit recently.
Wes Lee is one of NXT's brightest prospects and most talented performers. He went one-on-one with The A-Champion and may have won the bout until an errant dive had him hit the barricade instead of Hayes.
While Wes didn't make any excuses for his loss and blamed himself for the mistake, he also made it clear that he isn't done pursuing championship gold. If he wants glory, he could fight Ilja Dragunov. The two could battle it out to determine which wrestler will face Carmelo next.
Hayes likely offered this solution to Shawn Michaels backstage during WWE NXT. He would have no problem fighting the winner at No Mercy in just one month's time. This means whoever Carmelo faces will be deserved challenger.
#1. He may have actually been calling out WWE star Finn Balor
The most obvious directions for Carmelo Hayes on WWE NXT is either Ilja Dragunov or Wes Lee. He discussed Ilja multiple times on the show and Wes made it clear that he wants another shot at glory. There is another option, however.
The asterisk that Carmelo mentioned may not be an NXT star at all. Instead, his issues may be with WWE RAW's Finn Balor. The two have history, having clashed in both tag team bout and singles matches on Monday Night RAW.
Both times the two went at it, Finn Balor stood tall. Hayes gave The Prince an incredible fight, but it was never quite enough. Losses like that will eat away at The A-Champion. Could Carmelo have demanded a title match with Finn Balor, perhaps at No Mercy? For now, fans will need to wait to find out what Shawn and the NXT Champion discussed.