3 Reasons why Carmelo Hayes must become WWE NXT Champion again

WWE NXT is one of the most exciting television shows. World Wrestling Entertainment has three brands: RAW being the longest-running, SmackDown being the most viewed, and NXT being the newest.

The primary point of NXT is to prepare talented performers for RAW and SmackDown. With that being said, the white & gold brand is still on prime-time television every Tuesday night on the USA Network and will soon be moving to The CW, too. As a result, the show needs stars.

Arguably the biggest NXT star is Carmelo Hayes. The talented performer certainly garners a major reaction from fans and can deliver both in the ring and on the microphone, as well as just about anybody. Carmelo says he's HIM, and he certainly backs that up.

Following the latest episode of NXT, Carmelo laid out Ilja Dragunov and held up the NXT Championship. He hopes to regain the coveted title. This article will examine a handful of reasons why The A-Champion reclaiming the prized belt is the right move, even if it may seem strange.

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#3. Carmelo Hayes is getting a lot of heat from the WWE Universe

Carmelo Hayes rapidly became one of NXT's most popular superstars despite spending the bulk of his time on the show as a heel. Things changed recently, however, and now the WWE Universe despises the former NXT Champion.

Trick Williams clashed with Ilja Dragunov at WWE NXT Vengeance Day this past Saturday. The match was epic. In the end, Trick lost, but the post-match events had people buzzing.

Carmelo turned heel on his long-time friend, brutalizing Williams' leg with a steel chair. It was one of the most sickening beatings delivered in recent history, and fans now hate him for it. There is intense animosity from the NXT Universe due to Carmelo's decision-making.

That intense heat is precisely why he should become the next NXT Champion. He has never gotten a reaction like this, so the company would be wise to capitalize on it.

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#2. It would make him a bigger deal ahead of his impending main roster run

Carmelo Hayes on SmackDown

Carmelo Hayes is known for his time on NXT over the past several years, but he isn't strictly on the white and gold brand these days. Carmelo has become a bit of a regular on WWE Friday Night SmackDown, too.

While The A-Champion isn't a full-time member of WWE's main roster yet, he has had quite the showing. He participated in the United States Championship Tournament and the 2024 Men's Royal Rumble Match. He has also competed in other bouts on the blue brand, including against Austin Theory.

It seems clear that he'll be moving to the main roster sooner rather than later. While that may appear to be a reason for him not to get the title, the opposite might be true.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels may want Carmelo to hold the title so he has more momentum upon moving to SmackDown full-time. A former champion hot off of a title run has a better chance of succeeding than someone who hasn't held a title in around a year, which may be an accurate timeframe depending on when his full-time move occurs.

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#1. Trick Williams should win the title by dethroning Melo

The Trick-Melo Gang was one of the top acts of WWE NXT for a long time. Once NXT 2.0 launched, Carmelo and Bron Breakker were positioned as the faces of the brand. This remained true for quite some time, at least until the rise of both Ilja Dragunov and Trick Williams.

Trick was always by Carmelo's side, but once he became a popular star, Mello became jealous. This led to the brutal assault that closed out NXT Vengeance Day 2024 this past weekend. There is no clear indication of when Trick will return ot action.

Regardless of when Williams returns, it is clear he wants revenge on his former friend. This is precisely why Carmelo Hayes should win the NXT Championship from Ilja Dragunov. The latter has had a great run, but he can move on to the main roster soon. Dropping the title could benefit him, but it will undoubtedly aid Trick.

The perfect conclusion to the Trick-Melo Gang story is for the pair to clash at Stand & Deliver 2024. Trick Williams can dethrone Carmelo of the WWE NXT Championship and finally have his crowning moment, all while getting revenge on his former friend.