Carmelo Hayes aims to prove that, in sink-or-swim opportunities, he’s a swimmer.
Carmelo Hayes was practically thrown into the deep end when he joined the main roster He faced Undisputed WE Champion Cody Rhodes in his first match after he got drafted to SmackDown. Hayes will be in the spotlight again when he competes in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Speaking with Shakiel Mahjouri for CBS Sports, Carmelo Hayes discussed being put in high-pressure situations.
“I’d be lying if I said it felt new because I feel like they did the same thing when I got to NXT,” Carmelo Hayes said. “They immediately put me up against Kushida for the cruiserweight championship, put me against Adam Cole, and put me in the Breakout Tournament. I’ve been put in these high-pressure and sink-or-swim situations for as long as I can remember. I’ve proven every time that I’m a swimmer and I’m worth the opportunities.”
Hayes also described how facing Cody Rhodes in his first match after his official call-up was a sign of trust, and he wanted to deliver.
“To put me in the mix with the WWE champion Cody Rhodes coming off the high of dethroning Roman Reigns [at WrestleMania 40] and me being the first person he’s in the ring with is a huge trust,” Carmelo Hayes said. “I wanted to prove I was of that caliber and I was the right guy. I was going to get in there and put on a quality match with the WWE champion and even in defeat look good.”
The video can be seen here:
WrestleZone will have coverage of WWE Money in the Bank as it airs on July 6.
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