WWE’s Carmelo Hayes is one of NXT’s brightest stars, and he showcased why once more in the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline. Hayes came within moments of winning the match, but even without the win, he remains one of the brands’ marquee attractions, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s had one of WWE’s greatest icons to learn from. That would be Shawn Michaels, who is running things in NXT these days, and during a recent conversation with Hayes, I asked what it’s been like learning from one of the greatest of all time and what he’s taken most from the experience overall.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“The best part about it is there’s nothing that he hasn’t experienced. There’s nothing that he hasn’t done,” Hayes said. “So everything he’s telling us is just from experience, you’re talking to a guy that has done everything from the bottom to the top, you know what I mean? He’s been the guy multiple times. He’s so… Everything he says is gospel. So you are just listening to him and he’s just dropping nugget, after nugget, after nugget, after nugget.”
“Sometimes it’s a lot to take in because you’re just like, whoa, whoa, whoa. And things that early on I didn’t understand because I was so new. And then as time went on, I was like, oh, that’s what he was talking about. Oh, that’s what people… I started now thinking he’s probably telling me things that five years from now aren’t going to make sense yet, because he’s been there and he’s done it all,” Hayes said.
“So, I mean, it’s really, it’s such a blessing to be able to be here. And working with Shawn, somebody that I looked up to as a kid obviously, everyone did. And just one of the best in-the-ring performers, something I pride myself on being is a great in-ring performer,” Hayes said. “And it’s like you get the best of the best. So it’s like, obviously pleasing him is not easy, but it’s somebody that he pushes you to want to be better. So yeah. That’s amazing.”
Hayes is now looking for some payback on Axiom after that match, so it would seem we’ll get a match-up at some point soon. Many are also looking at Hayes as a major contender for the NXT Championship scene next year, and we’ll just have to wait and see if Hayes could be the one to unseat Bron Breakker from that top spot.
You can find all of our coverage on NXT right here on ComicBook.com, and you can always talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
