Carmelo Hayes is once again drawing attention from WWE fans on social media after making an unexpected change to his official X profile.
Hayes swapped his profile picture for an all-black image amid a lengthy absence from WWE television.
So far, Hayes has not explained why he made the change, and the lack of an explanation has sparked fresh speculation about his WWE future. There is no confirmation, however, that he is leaving the company.
His last appearance on SmackDown came on August 14, when Baron Corbin defeated him in a United States Championship match in Boston.
Carmelo Hayes has blacked out his X/Twitter profile picture after being off WWE television for quite some time. https://t.co/gUqAVrcWNf
— EliteRockerz 𝕏 (@EliteClubS0B) October 11, 2026
This is not the first time Hayes has shown frustration with his place in WWE. In August, after he was left off the SummerSlam card, he posted a photo of NBA star Stephen Curry sitting on the bench, in what appeared to be a nod to his own lack of opportunities.
Andrade El Idolo also publicly questioned Hayes’ absence in September, tagging his former rival in a post on X.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that Hayes has no behavioral issues backstage in WWE. Sapp said Hayes is instead regarded as a professional, dependable talent with a lot of upside.
Even so, there is no official word yet on when Hayes will return to SmackDown.