WWE has several soon-to-be big deals in NXT, and a few of them are ready for their spotlight right now. Although it may not be Trick Williams’ time yet, they are preparing him for big things internally.
Trick Williams Has Eyes On Him
Haus of Wrestling reports that the WWE SmackDown creative team was highly impressed with the crowd’s reaction to Trick Williams. Some influential figures within the company now believe that Williams possesses “future WrestleMania main eventer potential.”
One top WWE talent reportedly said that Trick has a “great attitude and skill set that he’s cultivating.” They are seeing a future with some positive outcomes for him.
Williams is set for significant momentum this week with two crucial matches. He teamed up with Carmelo Hayes in a Dusty Rhodes Classic semi-final match against the LWO this week on NXT. After winning, it was determined that the two will advance to the finals this Sunday at Vengeance Day, where they will face Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker.
Trick Williams’ Big SmackDown Reaction
This past Friday on WWE SmackDown, WWE NXT star Carmelo Hayes faced off against Austin Theory. The two men had a previous encounter a few weeks ago, but it was cut short due to a botched Avalanche Spanish Fly that worried a lot of people.
In their rematch, Austin Theory secured the win with the help of distractions from Grayson Waller and a roll-up involving a handful of tights. Following the victory, Waller and Theory initiated a beatdown on Hayes, prompting WWE NXT Star Trick Williams to make a save amid the crowd’s enthusiastic chants of “Whoop That Trick!” WWE higher-ups certainly noticed that reaction for Trick.
WWE’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view is going down in Tropicana Field tonight. You can find any information about how to view the show here. If you plan on watching and want to avoid spoilers, then you may need to stop reading here.
NXT Superstars In Tampa Before Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble match is always bound to provide a few surprises. This year’s match will be no exception, and NXT may see some big representation this year.
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Blair Davenport, Tiffany Stratton, and Carmelo Hayes are present at the venue for tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble event. This is very interesting, especially considering how many unclaimed Royal Rumble match slots there are for this year’s show.
Fightful can confirm that Blair Davenport, Tiffany Stratton and Carmelo Hayes are all at the venue for tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble show.
It was later reported that Bron Breakker and Roxanne Perez are also at Tropicana Field. This could be a very NXT heavy Royal Rumble match.
WWE’s Royal Rumble Plans
There is no explicit information confirming Tiffany Stratton, Blair Davenport or Carmelo Hayes’ inclusion in the Rumble match itself. It also was not noted whether any of them appearing in the Royal Rumble match would mean that they are getting a main roster call-up.
WWE has brought NXT Superstars up in the past in a stand-by position, just in case they are needed. We will have to see if Hayes, Davenport, and Stratton are used. That being said, each of those performers are more than ready for the WWE main roster at this point.
During the January 12th episode of WWE SmackDown, the bout between Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes was interrupted by the referee. This interruption occurred following an incident during an Avalanche Spanish Fly from the top turnbuckle, causing both wrestlers to land awkwardly. There was some worry about Carmelo Hayes and Austin Theory, but now we have it all sorted out.
In an announcement, Theory shared that this upcoming Friday, despite being a busy individual, he took the time to discuss his schedule with Grayson Waller, who expressed sympathy, recognizing the challenges Theory faces and the extensive commitments he manages.
Theory pointed out the lack of understanding from internet “keyboard warriors” criticizing his work ethic. Despite Grayson suggesting pulling him out of the match, Theory declined, asserting his identity as Mr. All Day. He then confirmed that he will be in Miami for SmackDown this Friday.
“I was like, ‘Hey man, you know all these keyboard warriors on the internet, in their mom’s basement, eating cheese sticks all day, they don’t know a day of hard work. They just go ‘you don’t have potential, you don’t have what it takes’, but you know what, they have the ability to know how it looks to be a damn bean bag chair, so congrats to them.”
“But Grayson was like ‘you know what, let’s get you out of this match’, and I said no, because I’m Mr. All Day. So, I’m going to be there on Friday in Miami, and Carmelo (Hayes), you keep saying you’re him, you’re him, well, guess what? When all the greats come back they want to be in the ring with me, they want their 15 seconds of fame, and I give it to them, and that’s a fact because I’m Austin Theory.”
Hayes returned to WWE NXT television without missing a beat. He teamed with Trick Williams as scheduled, as the two carry on in the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
After asking around, I was told that the referee expressed concern for both Theory and Hayes after the spot went wrong. It wasn’t a matter of one being more affected than the other.
Additionally, it was said that the “referee believed both were hurt and followed the correct protocol by ringing the bell and requesting medical assistance.”
The WWE commentary team also commended the referee for swift decision-making, highlighting the priority placed on Superstar safety in this situation. Thankfully, both Theory and Hayes are okay now.
WWE prioritizes the safety of its talent, particularly in the current scrutinized environment. In the episode of SmackDown on January 12th, a match had to be abruptly called off due to a botched spot.
WWE SmackDown last week witnessed Austin Theory facing off against Carmelo Hayes, but their match concluded prematurely, raising concerns among viewers about the unexpected turn of events. Currently, it seems that Carmelo may not have fully recovered from the incident.
Tonight’s episode of NXT on the USA Network features a packed card with various matchups, including a scheduled bout involving Carmelo Hayes. However, there is uncertainty regarding his participation alongside Trick Williams.
The apprehension stems from Carmelo Hayes’ recent SmackDown match against Austin Theory, where an unfortunate move led to Theory landing on his head, and Hayes also had an awkward landing.
Austin Theory is presently undergoing medical protocol, and according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Carmelo Hayes’ status for this week’s NXT is questionable. Meltzer stated, “So Hayes, as of today, was questionable for that match. Yeah, I mean, they weren’t sure one way or the other if he was going to be able to do it.”
Austin Theory’s Status
Austin Theory is also reportedly under medical protocol after that botched spot on SmackDown. As we exclusively noted, the referee in that match was worried about both competitors. He was also praised for ending the match early.
WWE NXT January 16th, 2024 Lineup:
NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender Battle Royal (Final Four Becomes Fatal Four-Way Match)
Latino World Order (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) vs. Chase U (Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne) Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match
Carmelo Hayes (Questionable) & Trick Williams vs. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round Match
Obe Femi will break his silence as NXT North American Champion
Update On Carmelo Hayes:
Hayes showed up to compete alongside against Edris Enofe and Malik Blade in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. In the end, Williams and Hayes won their match to advance further in the 2024 tournament.
WWE Superstars are professionals, but they aren’t perfect. Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes’ match on SmackDown last week ended suddenly, but thankfully, they are both okay now.
Carmelo Hayes & Austin Theory’s Scary Botched Spot
On the January 12th episode of WWE SmackDown, the match featuring Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes was halted by the referee due to an incident during an Avalanche Spanish Fly from the top turnbuckle that resulted in both wrestlers landing awkwardly.
The referee, signaling the “X” position to indicate a potential injury, decided to wave off the match. Reports indicated that facial contusions were sustained by both wrestlers as a consequence of the spot.
Bryan Alvarez shared an update on Wrestling Observer Radio, suggesting that Austin Theory entered medical protocol, hinting at a potentially more significant impact from the incident.
Carmelo Hayes previously made his SmackDown debut towards the end of the preceding year, participating in the WWE United States Championship No.1 Contenders Tournament.
His return to the blue brand occurred in a backstage segment, discussing Royal Rumble chances with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis, leading to a confrontation with Austin Theory and Grayson Waller and ultimately setting up the match between Hayes and Theory later in the show.
Hayes is currently booked with Trick Williams in a team as they take on the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. That storyline is getting a big spotlight in NXT, as it should.
Exclusive Insight On Austin Theory & Carmelo Hayes’ Botched Spot
I was told by a tenured member of the WWE team that the referee was actually concerned about both Theory and Hayes after that botches spot. It was not one more than the other.
I was further told that the “referee thought they were both hurt and did the proper protocol by calling for the bell and calling for the doctor.”
WWE’s commentary team also praised the referee in this instance for his quick decision-making, as they put an emphasis on keeping Superstar safety at the forefront.
WWE takes their talent’s safety very seriously, especially in today’s climate where there is such a microscope on them. During the January 12th episode of SmackDown, one match needed to be called off abruptly after a botched spot.
During the recent episode of SmackDown, a match involving Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes encountered a mishap, prompting the officials to halt the proceedings. Things were going well at first, but the referee wasted no time calling for the bell after they both went crashing awkwardly to the mat.
During the match, Theory and Hayes pulled off a maneuver from the top rope, but the execution didn’t unfold as intended. Both wrestlers landed unsafely, and the referee ended the match. It looked like they were trying for a Spanish fly-type move, but it did not end well.
Post-landing, Hayes remained motionless, while Theory did stir a bit more than the former NXT Champion. They were concerned on commentary, but commended the official for calling off the contest in rapid fashion.
Grayson Waller swiftly entered the ring, accompanied by WWE medical personnel, to attend to the situation. They did not provide any updates, but did say that they would be posted when made available.
This is a very new situation, so we have no prognosis at this time. We will update this article accordingly whenever we hear any updates.
Hayes has a match booked for NXT next week. Set for the upcoming NXT episode are two more matchups in the 2024 NXT Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament. The scheduled matches feature Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams facing off against Malik Blade & Edris Enofe, along with a clash between Chase U and LWO.
WWE Update on Austin Theory & Carmelo Hayes
WWE has issued a statement to update fans about the situation following the sudden match conclusion on SmackDown.
both wrestlers sustained face contusions. It seems that is the only damage they sustained, so both Melo and Theory will be okay.
UPDATE: Following their match tonight on #SmackDown, @_Theory1 and @Carmelo_WWE were evaluated for injuries. They both suffered face contusions, and will both be okay.
Carmelo Hayes also updated fans after that scary spot. He didn’t use any words, but the animated gif of The Undertaker springing out of his casket gave us all the info we needed. Melo doesn’t miss, and he’s very much okay after that spot.
“Shoot, that’d be cool. Right now I’m so focused on what I got going on here in NXT. It’s going to take a lot more than just showing up and dapping me up to get me over there. I’m not thirsty for any membership. If they want me, they can holler at me and we can talk business. Respect to them, because they’re my brothers for real.”
Hayes also spoke about the importance of black Superstars and learning from people of color who have become major players.
“I feel like every Black wrestler that I’ve met has just shown so much love. Like Booker T, even Big E, just from top to bottom. It’s just like an unspoken camaraderie in a lot of ways. Booker for example, he wants the best for all talent, but Black talent as well. Booker T’s has been a huge advocate for helping with my progress.”
Earlier this year, Lashley shared a segment with Hayes and Trick Williams on SmackDown, as seen in the clip below.
Did AEW steal a catchphrase of Carmelo Hayes when creating a new piece of merchandise? Click here to find out more.
Captain America: Brave New World will feature Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins and the film is going to be bigger than originally planned. Deadline reports that additional scenes have been filmed for the project, which is slated for a February 2025 release. Marvel has hired Michael Orton (no relation) to pen additional scenes and material. The film had been scheduled for a May 2024 release before it was pushed back due to the now-settled WGA strike.
John Cena’s New Poster
Speaking of movies, John Cena is set to appear in Argylle, a new spy thriller in which a fiction writer learns that the stories she writes are actually happening. On Twitter, Cena spoke about the project and shared the newest poster.
The greater the spy, the better the lie! Matthew Vaughn has brought together an incredible cast (of characters ?) for #ArgylleMovie! In theaters February 2nd! pic.twitter.com/zTgv3ArxAf
Taylor Swift may not be a WWE Superstar but it seems that the music sensation has been quite the talking point in wrestling as of late. Backstage at Monday Night Raw, Jackie Redmond wanted to learn which Superstars are ‘Swifties.’ Chelsea Green, Becky Lynch, The Miz, Nikki Cross, Dominik Mysterio, R-Truth, Cody Rhodes, Piper Niven all gave their favorite Taylor Swift songs, while Damian Priest and Nia Jax were annoyed to be asked. Jey Uso didn’t give a track but said he finds the Cruel Summer artist “beautiful.”
Introducing: WWE SWIFTIES ???
In honor of Taylor Swifts birthday, I went on the hunt to find out which WWE Superstars are true Swifties!
Carmelo Hayes is set to compete in the U.S. Championship Contenders Tournament and will face Grayson Waller in the first round. At a recent WWE photoshoot, Waller confronted Hayes and insinuated that Melo was the one to attack Trick Williams.
Could a rivalry be reignited for Carmelo Hayes? The former NXT Champion is preparing himself for tough competition as he is the lone NXT member competing in the upcoming US Title contender’s tournament on SmackDown. He’s no stranger to his first round opponent either as he’s going one-on-one with Grayson Waller.
In light of that clash occurring, Waller decided to confront Carmelo during a photo shoot. Just this week on WWE NXT, Hayes accused the current NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov of attacking him at the beginning of this week’s episode and also believes that it was Dragunov who attacked Trick Williams backstage months ago. The latter two are set to face one another at NXT New Year’s Evil, but it was Waller who decided to throw some salt into fresh wounds.
Waller decided to push some buttons, putting the blame on Hayes for Williams getting attacked and Carmelo took exception to Waller walking in during his shoot.
Waller challenged Hayes for the NXT Championship earlier this year at Spring Breakin’, but the Aussie lost in his efforts. Since then, Waller was drafted to the SmackDown roster, but spent a good deal of time on the shelf due to injury.
However, Waller has still made the most of his call-up, having a memorable confrontation with John Cena this past July at WWE Money In The Bank.
WWE has a lot of things going on, and Logan Paul needs a new challenger for the US Title. A single-elimination tournament was started to decide just that, and now we know which Superstar from NXT will fight for that honor, as Carmelo Hayes is set to get that spotlight. He also has his eye on some AEW merchandise.
AEW has a Devil gimmick going on right now. They also have some merchandise ready for whoever is under that mask.
All Elite Wrestling dropped some new merchandise for The Devil. Carmelo Hayes certainly noticed. He chimed in on social media how much he wants one of those new pieces of merchandise. Of course, that new Devil merchandise also stole his, “I am Him” slogan, which he was calling attention to as well.
WWE has outlined their plans for the upcoming December 15th SmackDown episode. In the recent show’s conclusion, several details for the next episode on FOX were confirmed. Roman Reigns is set to make a return to the blue brand, which is anticipated to attract significant attention. Whether he responds to CM Punk’s call-out from the previous week remains uncertain.
Additionally, fans can expect a match between Grayson Waller and an unspecified NXT Superstar in the first round of the United States Championship tournament. The chosen Superstar for this shot was to be selected by Shawn Michaels. Another first-round match will feature Kevin Owens facing off against Austin Theory during the December 15th episode of WWE SmackDown.
Which NXT Superstar will wrestle for the US Title
Shawn Michaels logged onto social media in order to make that big announcement. He appeared in a very short online video where he said that, after a line of Superstars gathered at his door for that spot, he was finally able to narrow it down to one Superstar.
We will have to see how Carmelo Hayes does in this tournament. This may be the big break he needs to get that WWE main roster call-up.
Carmelo Hayes is ready for the WWE main roster
There aren’t many things that Carmelo Hayes hasn’t done in NXT at this point. After winning titles, and carving out a mark for himself, he very well could be main roster ready at this point.
Shawn Michaels is certainly hopeful in Carmelo Hayes’ abilities. Only time will tell how he does on the main roster at this point, but he will get a big shot during the December 15th episode of WWE SmackDown.
Carmelo Hayes went on to comment on this decision, proclaiming that they can’t “lil bro us anymore.”
Carmelo Hayes will represent WWE NXT in the ongoing United States Championship contenders tournament, it has been confirmed.
Earlier this month, United States Champion Logan Paul announced an eight-man tournament to determine his first challenger. In his announcement, the Maverick said that he’d love to offer Rey Mysterio a rematch, but can’t due to the WWE Hall of Famer’s injury. Paul captured the title from Mysterio at WWE Crown Jewel in his first taste of gold since signing with WWE.
Shawn Michaels says there was a line of NXT stars outside his door wanting to be part of the US Championship Contenders Tournament, but in his view, nobody deserves the spot more than Carmelo Hayes.
Melo had previously teased being a part of the tournament and has been universally praised for his work in NXT. He’s viewed as having breakout potential as much as anybody in developmental and will be right at home amongst SmackDown’s most talented stars:
With the tournament brackets being revealed last week, it is clear what path Hayes has toward the United States Championship. Hayes will face Grayson Waller in the first round, somebody whom Hayes has experience competing against in NXT. Should he win, Melo will face the winner of the Austin Theory Vs. Kevin Owens quarter-final match. If Hayes wins that bout, he will face either Bobby Lashley or Santos Escobar in the finals.
While not confirmed, many expect the title match to take place at the Royal Rumble next year. The WWE Royal Rumble will take place on January 27, from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Hayes recently called out All Elite Wrestling for merchandise he sees as very similar to his “Melo is Him” catchphrase:
MVP has been working for some time to try and reunite the Hurt Business, but the veteran Superstar could soon be introducing a new faction.
Upon his return to WWE in 2020, it wasn’t long until MVP rallied his own group of Superstars, including Bobby Lashley, Cedric Alexander, and Shelton Benjamin.
MVP would manage every member of the group to championship gold, with the Hurt Business having won the WWE Championship, United States Championship, Raw Tag Team Titles, and 24/7 Championship.
New Faction
While MVP has been able to win over Alexander and Benjamin with a Hurt Business reunion, Lashley has proven to be unresponsive, given that MVP betrayed him on the Raw after WrestleMania 38.
Taking to Instagram this week, MVP teased that he has been speaking business with some names backstage, including his current client Omos, and the Street Profits, and NXT’s Carmelo Hayes.
Of all the names in the photo above, perhaps the most interesting is Hayes, who is yet to be called up to WWE’s main roster.
That’s not for lack of trying, as Hayes has in the past suggested that his time with NXT is coming to an end, and he is said to be well-liked by WWE management.
Hayes was at RAW last night for a match against Akira Tozawa during the pre-Raw WWE Main Event tapings.
Two WWE NXT stars got the chance to work in front of a large crowd for the first time in their careers at Monday’s Raw for the Main Event taping.
On WWE Main Event, Carmelo Hayes and Von Wagner will appear on this week’s episode. R-Truth shared the ring with Wagner while Hayes wrestled Cedric Alexander. Before the Hayes vs. Alexander match, Hayes got to do some promo work.
More NXT Stars Work Main Event
Just last week, WWE brought in Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen, and Fallon Henley to work the Main Event taping at Monday Night Raw. It appears that WWE is going back to the trend of looking at its developmental talent on a bigger stage than NXT to see if they’re ready for the main roster.
At the October 22nd Halloween Havoc special, Hayes will work a Ladder match for the NXT North American Championship alongside Oro Mensah, Wes Lee, Wagner and the winner of Nathan Frazer vs. Axiom on Tuesday’s episode of NXT.
Hayes lost the North American Title to Solo Sikoa on NXT TV last month before Sikoa was stripped of the title because he wasn’t authorized to participate.
Carmelo Hayes Vs Cedric Alexander was was filmed for this weeks episode of Main event 😭🔥 Melo is going places https://t.co/IDNNh75ffu
NXT North American Champion Cameron Grimes defended the title against Carmelo Hayes at Saturday’s (June 4, 2022) WWE NXT In Your House event in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on Peacock.
The match saw them go back and forth early. Grimes botched a move and Hayes hit a major league codebreaker for 2, which Grimes sold very well. Grimes with a posionronna that sent Hayes to the floor and Grimes followed it up with an outside dive. The finish saw Grimes miss a dive in the corner and Hayes hit the leg drop off the top rope.
The bout was announced on the May 10th edition of NXT during a n in-ring promo segment with Grimes and Solo Sikoa as Sikoa declared himself the top contender, which Grimes agreed with. However, he would only give him the shot if he could get by Hayes. Hayes and Trick Williams then attacked Grimes, but Sikoa made the save.
They worked a tag team bout against Hayes and Williams on the May 17th edition of NXT.
Grimes retained the North American title in a triple threat match against Hayes and Sikoa at Spring Breakin’ after winning the title on WrestleMania weekend at NXT Stand & Deliver by beating Hayes, Sikoa, Grayson Waller, and Santos Escobar in a five-way ladder match.
The Get to Know Series looks at The Jobber Tears Podcast. The podcast is having great success, with all three hosts making strides in the professional wrestling business. The group will also hold its second live wrestling event called JobberSlam this Summer.
A strong work ethic and consistency can be crucial to a successful content creator. The wrestling podcast business has grown in recent years, with independent content creators getting opportunities in the wrestling business. In the case of The Jobbers Tears Podcast, they’ve grown to be one of the most popular wrestling creators amongst wrestling fans and talent.
Their success didn’t happen overnight, as they had to work hard to produce content consistently. However, it has earned them the ability to commentate on wrestling and helped them gain opportunities in the wrestling industry.
I recently had the chance to speak with the group. Here’s the video of our discussion, followed by written highlights.
How Did The Jobber Podcast Begin?
The road to becoming a popular podcast didn’t start well for The Jobbers Tears Podcast. It began in 2017 with Wilkins “Sir Wilkins” Petit-Frere and Janelle “Janella From The HR” Garcia from HR as the wrestling debators, with another individual acting as a moderator. The original podcast called Yep, I Got a Podcast only lasted a few episodes before the moderator went on vacation, leaving Sir Wilkins and Janelle from HR to find another member. Sir Wilkins’s brother Yardley “Mr. Blacc” Petit-Frere replaced the moderator, and the group began to find their stride.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CO264AFrgAK/
Unfortunately, the moderator returned and had creative differences, which resulted in the individual erasing the first six episodes from streaming platforms.
“…In general, he deleted all the episodes, got rid of them, whatever. So I asked my brother, would you want to do a podcast with me. I still wanted to continue it because I knew it was something there, said Sir Wilkins. Along with their ex cameraman, the group got together at a bar to figure out the new name of the podcast. “…We literally sat there, and then we googled names. Ironically, all of them were taken. Anything that was like somewhat wrestling related it was taken,” said Sir Wikins. He continued, “So then we went with Jobber and then we have this friend named Larry, who we are cool with, who used to always troll on sports websites. I got a cup of tears of Giants fans or I got a cup of tears of like Knicks fans stuff like that. So then Janelle was maybe like tears and then we were like Jobber Tears!”
The Jobbers Tears Podcast officially started on Jan. 11, 2018.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWlvq6APw1A/
Spotlighting The Independent Wrestling Scene
Once the podcast officially started, the group began to think of ways to differentiate themselves from most wrestling content creators. Instead of focusing on popular wrestling companies like WWE, they also spotlighted the indie wrestling community. They networked with talent by interviewing independent wrestlers and going to events and rose in popularity.
“…We had these built with certain people because we met them through the independent scene or we spoke to them. One of my first interviews was Austin Theory,” said Sir Wilkins. He shared that signed talents like Theory and Carmelo Hayes know them because they networked with them before WWE. The podcasts have numerous high-profile interviews, including Shad Gaspard, Tasha Steelz, Nick Aldis, and Thunder Rosa.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdD3uq4glyQ/
The group also became more involved in the professional wrestling business by getting into independent wrestling. They better understand the decision-making behind wrestling, which Janelle from HR believes sets them apart from other podcasts.
“…As we progressed with the podcast, we’ve also been understanding to the business side of wrestling, which I think a lot of podcasts and it’s not a shade or anything or a shot to anybody, but a lot of podcasts don’t do, because they are in that fan realm,” said Janelle from HR.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CcmBTtQOx52/
What’s Next For The Jobber Tears Podcast?
Although the podcast has reached success, the group is getting more involved in professional wrestling both together and individually. Mr. Blacc is training to become a referee and is working on a lifestyle project with The Dirty Heelz Podcast called The Sped Ed Kids Podcast. Sir Wilkins is preparing to have his first wrestling match and is working for Complex alongside Church of Joshi’s Alex Lajas for Complex Unsanctioned on Spotify. Janelle from HR has become part owner of Battle Club Pro Wrestling, which has an upcoming event Welcome 2 War on Jun. 19.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd4baPlukS0/
The group is preparing their second live wrestling event under Battle Club Pro Wrestling called Jobberslam for Aug. 20. The event is still in development, and shared that more information will be released later. The Jobber Tears Podcast is also planning their AEW Double or Nothing watch party for fans at Legends Bar in New York, NY, on May. 29.
The Jobber Tears Podcast hopes to have a legacy as great wrestling content creators who also have positively impacted the business. The achievements that they have earned are a reminder that a great work ethic, consistency, and ambition can lead to incredible opportunities.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar has officially been announced for the April 19 episode of WWE NXT 2.0. Last week, Escobar demanded Hayes go to the back of the line for the NXT North American Title, after the latter dropped the strap to Cameron Grimes at Stand & Deliver.
In response, Hayes challenged Escobar to a match, leading to their confrontation this week. Check out the updated card for this week’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 below:
WWE has announced that their Table For 3 series will be making its return on the Peacock TV streaming service. This will be the first new episode of Table For 3 since 2019. The episode will feature WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle, alongside Alpha Academy, Chad Gable and Otis. You can watch the episode when it goes live on April 22.
Table For 3 was a staple of WWE’s original content on the WWE Network before being sold to Peacock. It has featured dinners and conversation between some of the business’ most groundbreaking and influential trios of all time. Past episodes have featured the likes of The New Day, The Kliq, The Shield, and so many more.
This week’s episode will feature Angle, a WWE Hall Of Famer who has made several appearances on the program already. Alongside him will be the former RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy, who recently challenged for the titles at WrestleMania 38 – but came up short to RK-Bro.
WWE NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes came up with the idea in storyline to have the deck stacked against him as he was confident enough to battle four other stars in a ladder match.
Hayes vs. Santos Escobar vs. Grayson Waller vs. Solo Sikoa vs. Cameron Grimes was booked in a ladder match at Saturday’s (April 2, 2022) WWE NXT Stand & Deliver event in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center.
The match opened the show and a brawl broke out. A few different guys did outside dives. Hayes took a brutal shot to the face thanks to a ladder. Waller with a cutter off the ladder to Santos. Escobar hit a front flip powerbomb off the ladder to Solo onto one placed in the corner. Trick Williams was pushed off a big ladder from the ring to the floor. Santos with a hurricanrana to Waller off the top of a ladder. Waller went for a dive off a ladder, but crashed through two of them. Grimes eventually grabbed the title.
This past Tuesday night on NXT TV, Grimes beat A-Kid and Roderick Strong in a three way qualifying match to earn his way into the title bout.
Grimes had originally lost a qualifying match on March 15 to Escobar. However, he was given another chance by Hayes. Grimes had been dejected as he said being a champion was something that he promised to his late father.
Adam Cole defeated EC3, Killian Dain, Lars Sullivan, Ricochet, and Velveteen Dream to become the inaugural champion in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans in 2018.
WWE NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes had an interesting exchange with AEW’s Max Caster on Monday through social media.
It all started when Caster responded to a clip tweeted out by a fan account of Hayes and Trick Williams. That clip was from Hayes’ win over Cameron Grimes at NXT Vengeance Day last week. It featured Hayes making an “A” with his fingers, a reference to how he bills himself as The A Champion of NXT.
Caster reacted to it by writing “Everyone loves the Acclaimed [smiling face with hearts emoji] [winking face emoji].” Although Hayes uses the “A” symbol for being The A Champion, The Acclaimed uses the same taunt to represent their tag team name.
This is when things picked up as Hayes responded to Caster’s tweet by knocking them for often appearing on the Dark and Elevation shows that air on AEW’s YouTube channel.
“Damn I didn’t know this was your thing, I don’t watch the YouTube show [man shrugging emoji],” Hayes wrote.
Caster later responded to it and even Williams chimed in, as seen below:
An NXT North American Title match between champion Carmelo Hayes and Cameron Grimes was one of the top matches featured on the card of Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0, titled Vengeance Day.
The match took place in the second hour and was back and forth. Although Grimes had some momentum down the stretch, Grimes took out Trick Williams at ringside and back in the ring, found himself on the receiving end of Hayes’ finisher.
This was set up on the January 26th episode of NXT 2.0 when Grimes secured himself the title opportunity by defeating Tony D’Angelo in the main event. Pete Dunne made his return on this show to cost D’Angelo after losing to D’Angelo in a ‘Crowbar on a Pole’ match. He hit D’Angelo over the hand with a Cricket bat.
At New Year’s Evil in January, Hayes unified the North American and Cruiserweight Titles by beating Roderick Strong. This marked Grimes’ first shot at the North American Title since TakeOver XXX in 2020 when he worked a 5-Way Ladder Match with Johnny Gargano, Bronson Reed, Damian Priest, and Velveteen Dream. Since then, Gargano, Reed, and Dream are no longer with WWE.
The North American Title was first introduced in April 2018 and won by Adam Cole. There had been 13 champions in the original history of the title.
It was the end of an era in NXT as WWE decided to unify the Cruiserweight and North American Titles when North American Champion Carmelo Hayes vs. Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong took place at New Year’s Evil.
The match opened the show and it was a back and forth match. Hayes hit his leg drop finisher off the top rope for the win.
Strong won the NXT Cruiserweight Championship from Kushida this September while Hayes beat Isaiah “Swerve” Scott to win the North American Title in October. Dave Meltzer noted on the last month’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that he had heard WWE might be getting rid of the title and renaming it the All-Inclusive Championship.
Hayes agreed to the match after being challenged by Strong as both stars have been calling themselves the real champion in NXT. WWE had a contract signing to make the match official last week on NXT that was hosted by NXT announcer Wade Barrett.
The North American Title was first introduced in April 2018 and won by Adam Cole. There had been 13 champions in the original history of the title. The Cruiserweight Title was back in 2016 with TJ Perkins being the first champion. There had been 19 champions in the history of the title since WWE brought back the division.
Carmelo Hayes has already got people talking about him in his short run with NXT. It appears that fans aren’t the only ones that have started liking him for his performance.
The NXT star has impressed ‘people of influence’ in NXT. This includes none other than the heartbreak kid, Shawn Michaels, (via Fightful).
Michaels apparently sees a lot of himself in Hayes and many see him as a ‘project’ of the Hall Of Famer. These claims seem to be backed up by the photo HBK took with Carmelo following his North American title win.
The former Christian Casanova was already impressive but he opened the door for a lot more opportunities with his match against Kushida in June. This included a follow-up match with Adam Cole.
Regarding the title switch that saw Carmelo Hayes cashing in his title shot at Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, sources say that it was done to establish Hayes as a new star while also protecting Scott on his way to the main roster.
The report also reveals that the current champion was discussed for the cruiserweight division as part of a major revamp. These plans were nixed after the mass releases.
Carmelo Hayes had been rewarded a title opportunity of his choice after winning the NXT breakout tournament. Isaiah Scott successfully defended the North American title against Santos Escobar on October 12 NXT. Hayes then cashed in his title shot on Scott and won the championship
WWE NXT 2.0 North American Champion Carmelo Hayes recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The Champion discussed several topics during his time on the show, including how he revealed his ‘top guy’ intentions to Shawn Michaels backstage at the Performance Center.
“I had a conversation earlier with Shawn (Michaels) about how I want to be a top guy eventually,” Carmelo Hayes began. “He was like, ‘alright, we’ll give you the ball and you can run with it. We’ll get you where we need to get you.’”
“I told Shawn that I see myself as a top guy” Hayes continued. “I told him, ‘take me there.’ And I think that (conversation) is what gave him the belief that, ‘OK, this kid is a little different.’
“And on top of that, my mindset is every time I step out, it is WrestleMania” the new North American Champion revealed. “I’m not one of those guys who’s just happy to be here. I truly, truly want to be great – through my work, actions, attitude, and training. I’m just trying to work harder than everybody else, and I think it’s showing.”
Carmelo Hayes on Creative Freedom
Carmelo Hayes would also reveal that he has some leeway when it comes to his promos in the NXT 2.0 format alongside Trick Williams.
“They give us bullet points” Hayes noted. “But I’m big on trying to say stuff that I would truly say. So a lot of the stuff you’re hearing is 100 percent from me – with their direction.
“I’ve been lucky enough to where they’ve trusted me, to say what I want. That’s really the direction they’re going in now, they are trusting guys, especially down here in NXT 2.0. They are trusting guys to be authentic” Hayes concluded.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott is no longer the WWE NXT North American Champion, but he wasn’t dethroned by Santos Escobar. Instead, it was Carmelo Hayes.
The title match took place on Tuesday’s episode of NXT 2.0 during the main event of the show. Hayes and his friend attacked members of Legado del Fantasma to help Scott retain the title over Escobar. However, Hayes attacked Scott after the match.
Hayes cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract for a title match and won the title after hitting a big boot then a leg drop.
This title change was expected as Hit Row (Scott, Ashante Adonis, Top Dolla, and B-FAB) was moved from NXT to the main roster in this year’s Draft. The group will now be featured on the SmackDown brand.
The decision to call Hit Row to the main roster was made “days earlier” before the Draft. This wrapped up the feud between Hit Row and Legado del Fantasma ( Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Raul Mendoza and Elektra Lopez), which has been going on for the past few months.
Scott beat Bronson Reed to become the North American Champion on the May 18, 2021 episode of NXT. Scott held the title for over a 100 days.
Carmelo Hayes has defeated Odyssey Jones in the finals of the NXT Breakout Tournament 2021 to earn a future title shot in the brand.
This week’s post Takeover 36 episode of the black and yellow brand featured the finals of the tournament that started last month on July 13.
The finals saw the two men wrestling in a competitive match. The ending of the bout saw Jones trying to pin his opponent after delivering a frog splash.
However, Hayes rolled him over to get the pin and become the winner of the Breakout tournament. The finish left both the superstars in shock as the NXT general manager William Regal came out.
Regal presented Carmelo Hayes a contract for a future championship match against any NXT champion he wants to face. Samantha Irvin then asked him which titleholder he would like to challenge.
Hayes first gave a shout out to Jones saying that he is no joke. He then explained that it’s too soon to know which champion he will challenge.
The NXT tournament winner said that he called his shot to get here and he doesn’t miss whenever he shoots. The segment ended with Carmelo Hayes standing tall on the stage, raising the contract as pyro rained down.
Carmelo Hayes, who is formerly known as Christian Casanova, made his debut on Tuesday’s episode of WWE NXT. He did so by answering the opening challenge issued by Cruiserweight Champion Kushida.
The back and forth match happened in the second hour of the show. It was an impressive showcase for the promotional newcomer as he hit some signature moves before ultimately falling to Kushida, who retained his championship as a result, with his submission finisher.
After the match, Kushida shook Hayes’ hand to show that he earned his respect.
Hayes started his career back in 2014 where he worked for several promotions such as Game Changer Wrestling, Beyond, and Black Label Pro. The Massachusetts native won the Limitless Wrestling World Championship in December of 2020. Back in February, it was announced that he had signed with WWE.
This came after the pre-NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day media call where Triple H stated that Rick Steiner’s son, Bronson Rechsteiner, and former University of Central Florida football player Parker Boudreaux would be part of this Performance Center class. Franky Monet was also in the class, who has already been used several times on TV.
