In a recent interview with Pwinsider, former WWE NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes discussed his time with the black-and-gold brand and his belief that he is ready to transition to the main roster.
Hayes will challenge Ilja Dragunov for the NXT Championship tomorrow at NXT Halloween Havoc (Night Two).
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On his match with Ilja Dragunov at Halloween Havoc: “If you watched the first few matches with Ilja and I, you know you’re going to see something very physical. I have more to lose in this mess than ever. How can I be Him if I’m not NXT Champion? So, my motivation is so much stronger than it’s ever been. And I need to, you know, I need to solidify myself as Him and I need to win back the NXT Championship, otherwise what is my purpose?”
On his first NXT title win: “In the lead up to winning that title, it was kind of like it was the last milestone that I need to accomplish. Winning that NXT Title. Once I won that title, it was okay being the successful defender of the title. Take no prisoners and beat everybody. At that point, there was really nobody to beat, then [Ilja] Dragunov came along. It became ‘Oh, man, I got my hands full.’ When people come at you and you’re defending the title, they come at you at their very best. When you’re defending the title multiple times, you might not be at your very best, but everybody’s always at their best when they’re trying to win titles. So that was something that I learned [during the title run.] I had to turn it up on my end, because I knew Dragunov was going to come at me at 100%, even if I wasn’t 100%. Most importantly, if I’m gonna call myself Him, and I’m going to be the man, then you’re going to have to show for it and it’s having that NXT Title.”
On his time in NXT: “I feel very satisfied with everything I’ve done in NXT. I feel like I’ve helped build the brand back up. I feel like I’ve been a cornerstone to the success of NXT 2.0. I feel very satisfied. I feel like I’ve accomplished everything there is to accomplish there. You know my relationships that I’ve built there, everything that you know, I’m willing to give back if I need to get back in. The next step for me is whenever they’re ready to let me go, I’m ready to take that next step.”
On being accused of attacking Trick Williams: “I mean, it’s just crazy that there’s no evidence and people want to point fingers. That’s really the craziest thing to me. I could see if there was a little bit of evidence, and I was looking a little guilty. I mean, he wanted the NXT Championship, you know, I want the NXT Championship, but I think it’s a crazy accusation to say that I would attack him to get the NXT Championship, you know what I mean? There’s other ways to go around that. A simple conversation probably would have worked. To attack him is a crazy accusation….”
You can keep up with all your wrestling news right here on eWrestlingNews.com. Or, you can follow us over on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Carmelo Hayes Discusses NXT Career and Transition to the Main Roster
In a recent interview with Pwinsider, former WWE NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes opened up about his time with the black-and-gold brand and his aspirations to transition to the main roster. Hayes, who will challenge Ilja Dragunov for the NXT Championship at NXT Halloween Havoc, shared his thoughts on various topics, including his upcoming match, his first title win, and his overall experience in NXT.
Regarding his match with Ilja Dragunov at Halloween Havoc, Hayes expressed his determination to win back the NXT Championship. He emphasized the significance of the title in solidifying his identity as “Him” and stressed that losing the championship would question his purpose. Hayes promised fans a physical encounter, highlighting the stakes involved for him personally.
Reflecting on his first NXT title win, Hayes described it as a significant milestone in his career. He acknowledged the pressure that comes with being a defending champion and the need to perform at his best against opponents who are highly motivated to win the title. Hayes recognized the challenge presented by Dragunov and emphasized the importance of maintaining his status as “Him” by successfully defending the championship.
When asked about his time in NXT, Hayes expressed satisfaction with his contributions to the brand’s success. He believed that he played a crucial role in building NXT 2.0 and felt that he had accomplished everything there was to achieve in the promotion. Hayes also mentioned the relationships he had formed during his time in NXT and expressed his willingness to give back to the brand if needed. He stated that he is ready to take the next step whenever WWE is ready to promote him to the main roster.
Hayes also addressed accusations of attacking Trick Williams, emphasizing that there was no evidence to support such claims. He found it absurd that people would accuse him of resorting to violence to secure the NXT Championship when there are other ways to pursue it. Hayes dismissed the accusations as baseless and suggested that a simple conversation would have sufficed.
As fans eagerly await Hayes’ match against Dragunov at Halloween Havoc, it is clear that he is determined to reclaim the NXT Championship and prove himself as “Him.” With his confidence and ambition, it seems likely that Hayes will continue to make waves in WWE, both in NXT and potentially on the main roster.
For more wrestling news and updates, you can visit eWrestlingNews.com or follow their Twitter and Facebook pages.