Carmelo Hayes is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in WWE, the promotion he is currently signed to. He is drafted to NXT where is a former NXT Champion, two-time NXT North American Champion, and the superstar to hold the title the longest across all reigns. He is also the last NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
Carmelo Hayes’ real name is Christian Brigham. He was born on August 1, 1994, in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. He was trained for professional wrestling by Brian Fury and made his debut in 2014, at the age of 19. He worked in the indies in promotions such as Chaotic Wrestling, Beyond Wrestling, and Limitless Wrestling, where he had considerable success. While working in these promotions, his talent helped him grab the attention of giant promotions, and he was eventually hired by the biggest of them all - WWE.
He signed a contract with WWE in 2021 and was drafted to NXT under the ring name Carmelo Hayes. He faced the likes of Kushida, Adam Cole, Josh Briggs, Duke Hudson, and Odyssey Jones in the first few months. Thereafter, he won the NXT Breakout Tournament, won the NXT North American Championship, and held it for 172 days. During the reign, he unified the title with the NXT Cruiserweight Championship and retired the latter.
He won the title back in June 2022 and held it for 101 days before losing it to Solo Sikoa. The next year, he would go on to shift his focus to the NXT Championship and won it at Stand and Deliver by defeating Bron Breakker. He held the gold for 182 days before losing it to Ilja Dragunov.
What is Carmelo Hayes Salary
Carmelo Hayes draws an annual salary of at least $200,000 from WWE. This makes him one of the most earning superstars on the NXT roster.
Carmelo Hayes Net Worth
As per various sources, Carmelo Hayes is worth around $2 Million in 2023. His net worth is mostly credited to the earnings he has made while working as a professional wrestler. He also earns from merchandising and sponsorship. Click here to learn about the net worth of Carmelo Hayes in detail.
Carmelo Hayes Girlfriend
Carmelo Hayes is currently in a relationship with fellow NXT Superstar Lea Mitchell. Fans better know her by the ring name Kelani Jordan. She was born on October 22, 1998 and is currently 25 years old. Hailing from Boynton Beach, Florida, Jordan made her WWE debut in 2023. She is billed at 5 ft and 5 inches in NXT. During her time here, she once made a tag team alongside former 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke.
Carmelo Hayes Championship & Accomplishments
| Promotion | Championship |
| Beyond Wrestling | Pride of New England Tournament for Tomorrow (2019) |
| Chaotic Wrestling | Chaotic Wrestling Heavyweight Championship (2 times) |
| Chaotic Wrestling New England Championship (1 time) | |
| Chaotic Wrestling Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tripilicious | |
| Twelfth Triple Crown Champion | |
| Liberty States Pro Wrestling | Liberty States Heavyweight Championship (1 time) |
| Limitless Wrestling | Limitless Wrestling World Championship (1 time) |
| Vacationland Cup (2020) | |
| Lucky Pro Wrestling | LPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Elia Markopoulos |
| Northeast Championship Wrestling | NCW New England Championship (1 time) |
| Northeast Wrestling | |
| NEW Live Championship (1 time) | |
| WWE | NXT Championship (1 time) |
| NXT North American Championship (2 times) | |
| NXT Cruiserweight Championship (1 time, final) | |
| NXT Breakout Tournament (2021) |
FAQs
A. Born on August 1, 1994, Carmelo Hayes is currently 29 years old.
A. Carmelo Hayes defeated Bron Breakker in their two huge matches at NXT Stand & Deliver and on the October 10, 2023 special episode of NXT.
A. Carmelo Hayes held the NXT Championship for 182 days.
A. Carmelo Hayes held the NXT North American Championship twice, for 171 and 101 days respectively.
