Describing Carmelo Haye’s as an up-and-coming star in the wrestling world is an odd choice, since he’s already held the NXT, North American, and Cruiserweight Championships. But now in the big leagues of WWE SmackDown, Hayes finds himself in a locker room filled with legends like Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and a soon to be retiring John Cena. M&F sat down with the cool and collected Carmelo, as he explained why he’s eying the ‘You Can’t See Me’ star, and what a typical day on the road with WWE looks like.
As WrestleMania season is now in full swing, 30-year-old WWE Superstar Carmello Hayes (real name: Christian Brigham) says that going from wrestling a couple of nights a week to meeting WWE’s demanding schedule takes some adjusting too, but he is certainly enjoying the ride. Currently on the SmackDown brand, Hayes likes to stay in a hotel close to the airport of whichever city he’s wrestling in so that he can fly back home quickly, but when on an extended tour the grappler finds himself in a different town for several days at a time.
“I mean, I know it can be hectic,” he tells M&F. “There’s been times when it’s been very hectic, like for example this UK tour that we have coming up, we’re hitting a lot of cities out there for a couple of weeks. I’m super excited about that.”
Carmelo Hayes says it is ‘Very Cool’ Being Present for John Cena’s Farewell Lap
While Hayes has fans around the world, another reason to look forward to March’s 2025 “Road to WrestleMania UK” tour is the fact that John Cena has also thrown his hat into the ring, appearing and potentially performing for the last time in London (March 31) and Glasgow (March 24).
With both wrestlers hailing from Massachusetts, the young lion will be eyeing 16-time World Champion John Cena, to see if he can learn anything from one of the greatest WWE icons of all-time. “He’s somebody that’s, if you look at the landscape of our locker room right now, we’re very fortunate,” he says. “We have a lot of heavy hitters that (have) been around the block. Cena’s just one of those guys that has just done it all. So, I mean, it’s very cool just being in his presence. It’s very cool to just pick his brain a little bit here and there and see what he’s thinking, what he’s going through. Man, like he’s earned this. He’s earned this story. He’s earned this kind of ‘go home’ for himself and this farewell for himself… He’s one of the biggest stars ever to come out of the WWE.”
How Carmelo Hayes Spends His Day While on the Road with WWE
Whether he’s in London in England or London in Ontario, Canada, Hayes consistently proves himself to be a dedicated athlete. Having wowed audiences with his high-octane style during one of his epic wrestling matches, Hayes then hits the showers before attempting to get some downtime in the hotel. “Your adrenaline is high,” he explains of the challenges of chilling out. “I’ll call my girlfriend (fellow WWE star Kelani Jordan) and just decompress. The more (shows you do), the easier it becomes to come down, because it just becomes normal.”
Of course, trying to relax after exciting performances, like February’s Royal Rumble when Hayes drew number four and wrestled before a crowd of more than 70,000 in Indianapolis, is anything but a ‘normal’ state of affairs. “There are moments where I have to really appreciate how freaking cool this is,” he shares. But after he’s soaked in those moments and come back down to earth, the entertainer understands that sleep is important because “It’s right back to it tomorrow.”
Often tomorrow can bring an early morning media call, but when the chance to sleep-in arrives, Carmelo likes to stay comfy for as long as possible. Breakfast or a light lunch is often next, or straight into a workout followed by a meal. Either way, Haye’s says he concentrates on protein pre and post workout. When it comes to gyms, traveling pro wrestlers can’t always be picky. “But every now and then you’ll find a really good gym,” he says. “I was in Saudi Arabia and there was a gym that was like one of the best gyms I’ve ever been to. That’s the cool thing about being on the road and traveling.”
When appearing on SmackDown, Hayes is usually required to arrive at the arena six hours before the show starts. “Because a lot goes into doing television,” he explains. “For live events and things like that, maybe it’s three hours.” Since starting with WWE’s NXT brand in 2021, Hayes has paid close attention to the strength and conditioning coaches in the group’s Performance Center. It is there that he picked up the greater details of his gym training, such as feeling the stretch, making slow and controlled reps, and really feeling the time under tension.
Thankfully, his focus on form appears to be paying off, and Haye’s is hungry to take the spot of those icons that went before him. “You know, I’ve been showing week in and week out that my talent speaks for itself,” says a confident Carmelo. “People want to bring up wins and losses and things like that, but in my mind, you know, I’m going out there and putting on a hell of a show and I’m learning. I’m getting better. I’m enjoying what I’m doing and it’s only the beginning,” he says.
Wins and losses have never been as important to WWE fans as being entertained by the types of special moments that Carmelo Hayes can potentially bring to the table. John Cena is proof positive that fans reward their favorites with cheers based on the work that they put in, rather than those stats decided in WWE’s creative room backstage. For now, Carmelo Hayes has eyes on John Cena’s legacy and hopes to replicate the relationships that one of the greatest grapplers of all time has built over the last 25 years. “Let’s see what happens, and let me take it to the top,” he concludes.
For ticket information on WWE’s 2025 UK Road to WrestleMania tour click here
