Carmelo Hayes wants to be remembered as a top star in NXT, like Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole.
Carmelo Hayes has established himself as one of the most buzzworthy stars in NXT. The former NXT Champion has made a few appearances on the main roster, and with the 2024 WWE Draft rapidly approaching, Hayes is viewed as a popular pick to make the jump to Raw or SmackDown.
Speaking with Jeff Johnson at a media event ahead of NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL, Carmelo Hayes was asked to reflect on his NXT career so far.
“I mean, truthfully I’ve been able to accomplish everything I really set out to accomplish in NXT. Since I stepped foot in there, my first match was for the Cruiserweight Championship. I told Shawn [Michaels] straight-up, I said, ‘Hey, I want to be a top guy, period.’ He said, ‘I see that for you.’ I said, I see that for myself. I stayed true to my word, stayed true on his word. I was able to leave a legacy I think in NXT. More than anything, there’s a lot of guys I looked up to when I got there, and I lot of guys who you still talk about when you talk about NXT, the Coles, the Garganos, the Ciampas, and that’s just the men. So I want to be one of those guys that when they talk about NXT in five years, young dudes on NXT saying, ‘I want to be like a Carmelo Hayes,'"Carmelo Hayes said.
Hayes went on to lose to Trick Williams in the main event of NXT Stand & Deliver. They will clash in a steel cage match on the April 16 episode of NXT.
Fightful Select recently reported about Carmelo Hayes' future.
Fightful will have coverage of NXT as it airs on April 16, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
If you use the above quotes, please credit the original source and link back to Fightful with an h/t for the transcription.
