The current United States titleholder has been on fire in 2026 and has all the makings of a true franchise player for World Wrestling Entertainment
By Ryan K Boman | March 21, 2026
It seems like every time you turn on WWE programming these days, you see an outstanding performance by him.
Or, more appropriately, H1M.
31-year-old Carmelo Hayes signed with WWE on February 12, 2021, and has seemingly been on a rocket ship to greatness ever since. As he trained and developed in NXT, he won the North American Championship twice, the Cruiserweight Championship once (which he unified with the North American title), and the NXT Championship once.
Now a member of the main roster, Hayes captured the WWE United States Championship in December 2025 and has been defending it honorably on TV through the start of the current year. He’s been one of the promotion’s most reliable performers, often making a tough outing look easy.
As World Wrestling Entertainment sees most of its top stars of this century retiring or beginning to look toward the sunset, they know they need to restock the roster with fresh, young talent. Recently, an injection of electric youth has sent a charge throughout the promotion. Names like Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and Giulia are shining lights in the company’s future.
But out of all those names, Hayes seems to be the one young Superstar who can surpass them all, thanks to the set of skills he possesses.
‘Melo is Money on the Mic
One of the most valuable tools that a pro wrestler can have in their repertoire is charisma. And Hayes has it naturally, mixing both the values of a true competitor and the playful antics of a schoolyard scamp. The audience likes that boyish charm and innocuous swagger, and it plays heavily into the Carmelo Hayes character.
On the microphone, Hayes is articulate and to the point, even if he does tend to follow the WWE blueprint at times when it comes to promos. Still, there’s an unmistakable aura around him; it’s the kind that the most marketable and successful performers have. In any genre, if the crowd automatically ‘likes you’, they will listen to what you have to say.
On top of his ability as an orator and his presence as a performer, he completes the whole package with his look. He’s got gear that reflects that he’s a new generation of athlete in pro wrestling, but it’s traditional enough to fit the bill with old school fans. The accessories of adding a little bling never hurt anything, either. It adds to his overall image – one that will only accentuate his in-ring achievements.
Hayes has the attitude of a champion
While Hayes portrays a basketball-type character, often mimicking a jump shot during his promos, he’s not known for a major NCAA or pro sports background like some WWE talents. His athletic development can be traced primarily through independent professional wrestling promotions rather than traditional college sports. Still, there’s no doubting his obvious athleticism in, around, and (often) above the squared circle.
It doesn’t hurt that he tops things off with the catchphrase, ‘Melo don’t miss’, which adds to his somewhat fictional athletic pedigree. It fits him and his style well, and appeals to a younger generation of fans.
He also seasons that image with being a fighting champion, and performing more consistently than almost all of his main roster contemporaries. That makes him look like an ‘Iron Man’, something that is coveted in the sporting world.
The new wave of wrestling fans is already behind Carmelo Hayes, and their support may very well be what eventually pushes him to the top of World Wrestling Entertainment. He’s already got the makings of a future World Champion, but there’s more to ‘Melo than that. He could be the face of the franchise someday, and the best First Round Pick the promotion has selected in a long time.
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Ryan K Boman is the Publisher for the Savannah Bananas at Sports Illustrated and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Life with Laughter & Love.
Boman is a longtime sports writer & editor whose previous work has appeared at The Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo! Sports, the Miami Herald, and Yardbarker.
Follow him on X @RyanKBoman
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