Update on Carmelo Hayes’ Immediate WWE Future After Heavily-Criticized US Title Loss on SmackDown

Carmelo Hayes isn't planned for a time off from WWE as WrestleMania inches closer.

Update on Carmelo Hayes’ Immediate WWE Future After Heavily-Criticized US Title Loss on SmackDown

Carmelo Hayes (via- WWE)

Carmelo Hayes lost the United States Championship in a shocker on this week’s SmackDown. The fans online went ballistic over WWE’s decision to strip Melo off the title belt, especially this close to WrestleMania 42. But now that it’s all said and done, what does the future hold for the 31-year-old? BodySlam has reported that he’s not set for time off, contrary to fan speculation.

Some fans thought that WWE took the US title from Hayes to let him go on a vacation owing to his marriage to longtime partner and current NXT wrestler, Kelani Jordan. However, that’s not true. Hayes and Jordan haven’t tied the knot yet, but they’re engaged to be married. The photoshoot that Melo uploaded on his Instagram was from their engagement.

The aforementioned report added that Hayes’ WrestleMania direction isn’t known at this point, but he’s at least not planned for a hiatus. ‘The A-Champion’ canonically elevated the US title in the time he held it. Hayes carried that belt with pride for 91 days, with 8 successful title defenses along the way.

He lost it to Sami Zayn this past Friday, and this would surely sting. The Massachusetts-born wrestler was on track to enter his first WrestleMania as a champion, which would’ve been a great accomplishment for the man who claims to be ‘H1M’. The fans are now fearing that Hayes might get left off the WrestleMania card after his uncalled-for loss to Zayn.

However, it wasn’t a clean finish. Trick Williams got himself involved in an ending that saw ‘Mr. Whoop That’ inadvertently punch his former Trick Melo Gang ally in the face. It allowed Zayn to do the rest by landing his Helluva Kick on a stunned Hayes to become a 2-time US Champion. Melo is expected to assert his case for a rematch, as he has the necessary evidence to claim it.

The most logical way to go about things pertaining to the US title picture heading into WrestleMania is to add Carmelo Hayes to Sami Zayn vs. Trick Williams to make it a triple-threat match for the title. In this way, Williams could become the new US champion, pinning Zayn, if WWE were to renew the rivalry between Williams and Hayes immediately after WrestleMania.

Leon Slater looks back on his SmackDown match with Carmelo Hayes

Carmelo Hayes had stunning matches as part of the United States title open challenges he held almost every other week on SmackDown since winning it from Ilja Dragunov in late December. One of the first few opponents in his title reign was Leon Slater. The TNA X-Division Champion answered Melo’s call on the 1/16 edition of SmackDown in London. Slater reflected on that match during a chat with SunSport.

Leon Slater and Carmelo Hayes on SmackDown
Leon Slater and Carmelo Hayes on SmackDown [via- WWE]

‘The Youngest in Charge’ said that it was the most comfortable he had felt in a WWE ring. The 21-year-old felt like he was at home, and the crowd chants also fueled him up. Since the show was in the UK, from where Slater hails, he was wrestling in a familiar territory. He also described his chemistry with Carmelo Hayes as being on another level, which was evident from the moves they were able to pull off.

I’ll be honest, that’s probably the most comfortable I ever felt in a WWE ring because I felt like I was with my people, you know what I’m saying, like I remember. Me and Melo hit it off, man. I feel like our chemistry [in the] ring was on a different level. I’m glad we got to deliver that night in Wembley.

Leon Slater via SunSport

The fact that Melo was successful in making a much younger talent feel the best version of him in the ring is a testament to the veteran-like instincts of ‘The A-Champion’. It’d be interesting to see what is next for him after a disappointing US title loss to Sami Zayn. But first and foremost, Melo will have to make sure he doesn’t miss out on competing at WrestleMania.

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