The answer to whether WWE has a problem with Carmelo Hayes is that nobody seems to have one.
Sean Ross Sapp was asked in a Fightful Select Q&A how Hayes is regarded internally, after a stretch of booking that has fans assuming something must be wrong.
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.
His explanation for the perception is about WWE rather than Hayes.
I think WWE definitely waits too long to pull the trigger on a lot of talent to their full potential, which is why people can develop longtime perceptions of wrestlers not being main eventers.
He did offer one thing that might matter.
He was a favorite of Shawn Michaels in NXT, but that doesn’t always translate to being one of Triple H’s favorites.
He was NXT Champion, held the North American Championship twice, won the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in 2025, and carried the United States Championship for 98 days before dropping it to Sami Zayn in March. Fightful reported at the time that WWE was aware of criticism about how that reign ended and about him being left out of the picture afterwards.
He challenged Baron Corbin for the title on a recent SmackDown and came up short. He has spoken publicly about being unhappy with his role, and he married Kelani Jordan this year.
