Carmelo Hayes Reflects On WWE Raw Debut

There are mixed bags, and then there is Carmelo Hayes' Monday night this week. On the plus side, the "WWE NXT" Champion made his debut on "WWE Raw" in a big way, getting a nice introduction from World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, before taking on the number one contender for said championship, Finn Balor. On the downside, despite some brief glimpses of offense, Hayes was ultimately defeated by Balor, giving him a 0-1 record so far in WWE main roster matches. Even still, Hayes is not letting defeat get him down. The "NXT" Champ was in good spirits in an interview following the loss, and he continued to have positive vibes on Twitter afterward, as he tried to take in this monumental occasion in his career.

"Debuted on WWE Raw," Hayes tweeted. "Gotta let it sink in... Dreams come true. Win or loss, still HIM."

Debuted on #WWERaw . Gotta let it sink in... Dream come true. Win or loss, still HIM.

— Carmelo Hayes (@Carmelo_WWE) June 27, 2023

For some, Hayes' debut on "Raw" last night was long overdue, after many expected Hayes to be called up to either "Raw" or "WWE SmackDown" during the recent WWE Draft. Instead, the "NXT" Champion, along with rival Bron Breakker, was one of the names surprisingly not picked for a callup, with others such as Grayson Waller and tag team Pretty Deadly making the move instead. Despite that, Hayes has continued to prosper down in "NXT," having successfully defended his "NXT" Title three times so far against Breakker, Waller, and Noam Dar. He will make his fourth title defense on tonight's episode of "NXT," going one on one with Baron Corbin.