Since arriving on WWE’s main roster in 2024, Carmelo Hayes has quickly positioned himself as one of the company’s rising stars. Now holding the United States Championship, Hayes says his growth has been fueled by the veterans surrounding him.
During an interview with Good Karma Wrestling, Hayes made it clear that his journey has not been a solo effort.
“It takes a village a lot of time with WWE. We’re so grateful to the fact that we have so many legends and OGs still around,” Hayes said. “I got to give credit to Shawn Michaels, first and foremost. He was just one of those guys that believed in me from the jump. He was one of the first guys that put me in front of Triple H at the Performance Center just saying, ‘Hey, look at this kid.’ He’s been a big help. But then guys now today, it’s everybody up there, man. It’s the Codys, it’s the Randys, it’s the Miz, even Triple H. Everybody, top to bottom, has just been so monumental in trying to help the youth. CM Punk, Seth Rollins, all those guys.”
Shawn Michaels and Paul Levesque played key roles in Hayes’ development during his NXT run. On the main roster, Hayes has shared the ring with names like Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and The Miz.
While Hayes and The Miz have clashed on screen, including their brief tag team “Melo Don’t Miz” before Miz turned on him, Hayes spoke glowingly about Miz’s backstage mentorship.
“I remember at one point, despite whatever we have going on storyline wise, I was like, ‘Bro, just thank you for being here. I’m so happy that you’re here.’ I just had to tell him that. I was like, ‘I’m just so happy you’re here, I’m here at the same time, and I’m getting to learn from you,’” Hayes recalled. “There’s a lot of times where I was feeling low. I was like I don’t know what’s going on, and the only person that’s ever been able to explain it to me is The Miz because he’s been high, he’s been low, he’s been in the middle. He’s done it so many times.”
Hayes shared specific advice Miz gave him during difficult stretches.
“He gave me some advice where he told me, ‘Hey, when you’re at the top, it’s going to be easy because you figured out how to manage at the bottom.’”
For Hayes, that perspective has translated into results. As United States Champion, he has successfully defended.
In an industry where momentum shifts quickly, Hayes appears focused on absorbing knowledge from those who have already weathered every phase of the cycle. For a young champion navigating his first sustained run at the top of a division, that may be the most valuable asset of all.
