The alliance between Carmelo Hayes and The Miz, collectively known as Melo Don’t Miz, came to a definitive end on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown.
The tension came to a head during a backstage confrontation early in the show. Still reeling from their recent loss to The Street Profits, The Miz cornered Hayes to question why his partner hadn’t stepped in to break up the pinfall. Hayes, showing no remorse, fired back that Miz should have had the resilience to kick out on his own. In a blunt exchange, Hayes told Miz their partnership was over, adding that while he typically punctuates breakups with a bold statement, this time he was “trying to be cool” by simply walking away.
The situation escalated later in the night. When Sami Zayn issued his weekly open challenge for the United States Championship, Hayes looked poised to make a major move by stepping up as the challenger. Before he could officially accept, Miz struck from behind, ambushing his former partner and laying him out with a Skull-Crushing Finale. The attack drew loud reactions from the crowd and signaled Miz isn’t willing to let Hayes walk away quietly.
Hayes and Miz were first paired together back in February, forming a duo that blended Miz’s veteran showmanship with Hayes’ rising-star swagger. Dubbed Melo Don’t Miz, the tandem had mixed results inside the ring but became a featured act across SmackDown programming. With Hayes now firmly breaking away, the dissolution of the team sets the stage for an inevitable one-on-one showdown between the two in the coming weeks.
DOWN GOES CARMELO! @Aleister_Blxck saw an opportunity and he took it 🤷@Carmelo_WWE @mikethemiz pic.twitter.com/R62ZhWuejG
— WWE (@WWE) October 4, 2025
