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Carmelo Hayes Breaks Silence After Heartbreaking WWE WrestleMania 42 Omission

By Harikesh Shekhar • Published Apr 17, 2026 07:42 EDT
Carmelo Hayes WWE
US Champion Carmelo Hayes. (Source: WWE.com)

Carmelo Hayes has been left out of WrestleMania 42 this year, and the fans did not see it coming.

Carmelo Hayes won the United States Championship by answering Ilja Dragunov’s open challenge a few months ago on SmackDown. He has since defended the title multiple times on the blue brand.

However, things took a turn for the worse for the high-flying star when Sami Zayn and Trick Williams were injected into the US Title picture.

Trick Williams was given a match at WrestleMania 42 by Nick Aldis, and Sami Zayn soon demanded one as well. Aldis initially refused to put Zayn in a match at WrestleMania 42, saying that there was nothing for him, but the same night, Zayn answered Hayes’ open challenge and won the WWE United States Championship from him after a botched attempt at an interference from Trick Williams, who was at ringside for the match.

A week later, Carmelo Hayes got his rematch for the title, which Zayn won again.

This led to Hayes being pushed out of the picture and Sami Zayn and Trick Williams for the US Title at ‘Mania was soon made official.

Carmelo Hayes Shares His Feelings On Being Excluded From The WrestleMania 42 Card

Hayes’s fans were in disbelief after he was taken out of the WrestleMania 42 card by dropping the US Title to Sami Zayn.

The star was asked recently about how he is handling the frustrations of missing out on WrestleMania. He answered by giving a sports analogy, saying that if WWE gives him the ball, he’ll run with it, but for that to happen, they need to give him the opportunity first.

He went on to say that it’s about waiting for such opportunities to come.

I feel like it’s staying ready and just knowing I’m talented enough. If they give me the ball, it’s guaranteed. I think that’s really what my mentality has always been.

You ever heard that phrase, ‘Success is not earned, it’s given?’ I feel like that’s a lot with WWE.

Anybody really, it’s like, until they give you the ball, how will they know if you can score? Until they put you on the field, how do they know if you can make a play? I think that’s really what it comes down to with what we do is waiting for the ball, or waiting for them to put you in.”

The comment was shared by Wrestle Purists on X

It remains to be seen what WWE has in store for Carmelo Hayes following WrestleMania 42. Would he have to climb his way back up the ranks? Or is he firmly cemented in the mid-card and the United States Championship scene? Until that time, Hayes plans to remain focused on his growth.

Also read: Breaking: Randy Orton Reportedly Injured Ahead Of WWE WrestleMania 42