Carmelo Hayes continues to float without a clear spot near the top of the card in WWE, even after capturing the United States Championship earlier this year. Last Friday (August 14), Hayes got another crack at the title against Baron Corbin in his hometown of Boston but fell short.
While creative’s handling of Hayes has raised questions among fans, there’s no indication that he’s dealing with any backstage issues.
During a recent Fightful Select Answers Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp said he has never heard anything negative about Hayes within WWE. Sapp noted that the former champion is regarded as a dependable, professional talent with significant upside.
“I’ve never heard anything about him being viewed negatively backstage. He’s always been referred to as dependable, professional, and with a lot of upside.”
Sapp added that Hayes was one of Shawn Michaels’ favorites during his NXT run, though that doesn’t necessarily carry over to Triple H and the current main roster creative team.
“He was a favorite of Shawn Michaels in NXT, but that doesn’t always translate to being one of Triple H’s favorites.”
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11:38 AM · Aug 18, 2026Hayes had a decorated NXT career, winning the NXT Championship, North American Championship, and Cruiserweight Championship before going in the first round of the 2024 WWE Draft. He went on to win the 2025 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal and capture the United States Championship.