Carmelo Hayes appeared on the October 24 episode of WWE SmackDown with what seemed like a moment to reestablish himself as a breakout singles star. The former NXT Champion cut a babyface promo about trying to get back whatever he lost after his recent feud with The Miz. But just as Hayes began to rebuild his momentum, the segment took an unexpected turn when Kit Wilson of Pretty Deadly interrupted him.
The two exchanged words before setting up a match for SmackDownone that left many viewers confused about Hayes trajectory on the main roster. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Garrett Gonzales broke down the segment, with Meltzer offering a blunt assessment of what this booking decision really means for Hayes standing in WWE. Garrett Gonzales set up the discussion by pointing out how misplaced the segment felt:
Meltzer responded by stressing that Hayes has all the potential to become a legitimate challenger for top WWE stars if the company books him that way. He praised Hayes promo ability, in-ring talent, and charisma, noting that his height shouldnt hold him back in the modern wrestling landscape.
But Meltzer made it clear that pairing Hayes with Kit Wilson sent the opposite message. After complimenting Hayes upside, he delivered the line that summed up his frustration with the creative choice:
Meltzers comment reflected a larger point about WWEs tendency to stall rising talent in the midcard rather than letting them break through to the next level. He pointed out that Hayes should be built as a short-term challenger for a top babyface or heel, rather than being placed in low-stakes matches that do nothing for his credibility.
While Meltzer noted that the companys mindset toward smaller wrestlers has improved since Vince McMahon stepped down, he argued that this segment showed remnants of that old thinking still exist. Fans today, he said, care more about personality and performance than size, making Hayes the kind of talent who could connect strongly with audiencesif booked correctly. For now, though, Meltzer believes this angle shows WWE isnt ready to fully get behind Hayes as a future main-eventer.
Carmelo Hayes may have the talent and the charisma, but his SmackDown booking is telling another story. As Meltzer put it, being interrupted by Kit Wilson says it all.
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