Kelani Jordan is proud of Carmelo Hayes.
The former NXT star had to wait a long time to get his first big accolade on the WWE main roster. Despite being a triple crown champion in NXT, Hayes did not win any belts in almost 2 years after his main roster debut. He finally got the reward for his patience and connection with the crowd last month, when he defeated Ilja Dragunov to win the US championship.
Hayes' fiancé and current NXT star Kelani Jordan, was asked what this win means for him during her recent interview with No-Contest Wrestling. She said that she was very proud of Carmelo, claiming that she has not seen someone more passionate about the business:
“I’m so proud of him… I don’t wanna say I’m biased but, really, honestly, he’s such a great person. He works really hard. I’ve never seen someone more passionate about this business and what he does. He studies all the time, he works hard, he’s in the gym."
It Wasn't Handed To Him: Kelani Jordan
The victory of Carmelo Hayes was celebrated by fans and his peers alike, with even Dragunov showing respect to his opponent after losing the title. Kelani Jordan mentioned how her fiancé worked extra hard for this, and nothing was handed to him:
"He sometimes even does extra ring with me, not only to help me, but just to make sure he’s in shape for his matches when he doesn’t really need to be. He’s in great shape. So I’m just super proud of him because I wanna say he never — it wasn’t handed to him. He definitely earned it and I feel like he definitely paid his dues, and of course his talent speaks for itself but, he has a genuine heart and so, I’m super proud of him.”
Carmelo Hayes defeated Johnny Gargano in his first US title defence during the January 2 SmackDown. He has been facing the Miz at recent house shows, but there is no word on who will challenge Hayes for the belt next.