Facing Cody Rhodes was all about making a statement, claims up-and-coming WWE Superstar

WWE star Carmelo Hayes recently spoke about facing Cody Rhodes inside the ring.

Hayes was picked up by SmackDown in the first round of the 2024 WWE Draft this week. Soon after the announcement, Melo walked out and challenged Cody Rhodes to make a name for himself. The Undisputed WWE Champion accepted the challenge, making the match official. The two stars put on a show, which saw Rhodes eventually get the win with a Cross Rhodes.

Speaking with WWE correspondent Byron Saxton on The SmackDown Lowdown, Carmelo Hayes seemed confident about his future with the blue brand. He felt that he had taken Rhodes to the limit and it was a good outing for him on his first night. Hayes also mentioned that SmackDown picked him in the first round because they knew of his potential and star power.

"I went into this thing, win or loss, I wanted to make that statement. At the end of the day, I know I'm destined for greatness. Going [up] against a guy like Cody Rhodes, WWE champ for a reason. I might not have made it through, [and] I might not have beat Cody Rhodes but I shot from the low go and I hit rim on that. They could've picked anybody, there's a room full of them but [they] came and they picked me second in the first round because they know that Carmelo Hayes is Him." [4:18 - 4:42]

You can watch the full interview here:

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Cody Rhodes will face AJ Styles at Backlash

This week, The American Nightmare also crossed paths with his challenger AJ Styles during the contract signing segment on SmackDown.

Styles claimed that he had much respect for Cody Rhodes. He explained how they made their names outside of WWE before becoming major stars in the promotion. The Phenomenal One further recalled how Cody's father, Dusty Rhodes, helped him during his early days in the business.

The multi-time world champion ultimately made it clear that his respect for The American Nightmare would not stop him from bringing the fight to the latter at Backlash.

Cody also spoke about their mutual respect but mentioned that he would not go easy on his challenger. He further claimed that it was a must-win match for him. It will be interesting to see who will reign supreme when the two Georgia boys lock horns in France next week.

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