Is a Former United States Champion’s Time with the Company Over in 2026?
Carmelo Hayes is one of WWE’s biggest success stories considering the start of his career with the company. He became a regular in NXT 2.0, a show that many consider to be NXT's lowest point. Despite the criticism, Hayes overshadowed the negative reviews with his in-ring ability and excellent mic work. He would win multiple championships before moving to the main roster in 2024. He continued his meteoric rise with a United States Championship run on SmackDown. However, things started going south for Hayes as he suddenly began disappearing from WWE television and missed out on PLEs. While no reason was given for his sudden disappearance, many were worried that WWE had no plans for him whatsoever. Hayes has now been missing from SmackDown for over 50 days, which has left fans with one simple question: Is Hayes’ time with WWE about to come to an end?
Hayes’ success from NXT to the main roster cannot go unnoticed. He won the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament, which earned him a contract for a title opportunity of his choosing. He would cash in that opportunity to become the new NXT North American Champion, a title he would hold for over 150 days. His time at the top would finally come when he defeated Bron Breakker at NXT Stand and Deliver 2023 to become the new NXT Champion. He held on to the title for five months before dropping it to Ilja Dragunov at NXT No Mercy 2023. Afterwards, Hayes would spring into a feud with his former partner Trick Williams, where he would lose against him in his final match on NXT before heading to the main roster.
Hayes would be drafted to SmackDown as the first overall pick, ushering a new era with a move that made fans believe that WWE had big plans for ‘HIM’. Although he debuted on the main roster as a heel, he would eventually turn face after entering a feud with The Miz. Some time would pass, but in December 2025, Hayes would defeat Dragunov in an open challenge to become the United States Champion, his first title win on the main roster. He would hold that title for 98 days before losing it to Sami Zayn in an open challenge. Afterwards, there was a sudden change in Hayes’ booking, as he would fail to capture the title again and even miss out on WrestleMania 42. This would only be the beginning of a string of absences for Hayes on WWE television.
Many were left disappointed seeing Hayes left out of the WrestleMania 42 card, even after all the hard work he had put in over the past year, especially due to his work with the United States title. Despite no real reason given for his WrestleMania absence, fans gave WWE the benefit of the doubt, as they hoped this meant that the company had bigger plans for him. However, the opposite seemed to happen, as Hayes would rarely make any appearances on SmackDown, with his last appearance being on the August 14th episode of SmackDown, where he would unsuccessfully challenge Baron Corbin for the United States Championship. It has now been over 50 days since his last appearance, and many are worried about whether he’ll actually make a return to WWE television. Numerous reports have indicated that WWE has no plans for Hayes, which would be a real bummer considering how talented he is and how much more he can deliver to the main roster. WWE might not see him as a world title contender, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be able to at least compete for one in his career.
It is a possibility that WWE has some sort of plans prepared for Hayes if he is to return to WWE television in some capacity, but it’s also a possibility that he could no longer be used at all. Perhaps a second run in NXT could help him regain some of that momentum, just like what Grayson Waller is going through at the moment as NXT Champion. It would be disappointing if WWE ends up releasing Hayes, as there are multiple ways he can be used in the midcard. If WWE were to let him go, there’s no doubt he’ll end up finding a home somewhere else, such as AEW.
