Top Star Airs Frustration With WWE Booking: “It Definitely Sucked And It Was Heartbreaking”

A current WWE star has revealed their booking frustration as a talent on SmackDown.

Carmelo Hayes suffered a heartbreaking loss on the blue brand right before WrestleMania, practically writing off his appearance at the Grandest Stage of Them All.

On December 26, Hayes answered Ilja Dragunov’s open challenge for the WWE United States Championship and defeated him in a battle that lasted over 20 minutes.

Continuing the open challenge trend, Hayes competed against popular names, including Shinsuke Nakamura, Rey Fenix, Leon Slater, and El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., during his title reign.

On March 27, he shockingly dropped the title to Sami Zayn. Fans criticized the decision to take the title off him, considering he had been putting in clinical performances week after week, establishing himself as one of the must-see wrestlers on the brand.

In the lead-up to WrestleMania, he did get a chance to reclaim his belt, but lost after an interference from Trick Williams, who had been feuding with Zayn.

Fans also did not take kindly to Zayn hitting his finisher on Hayes when he was selling a leg injury. The 31-year-old has yet to make an appearance on WWE television since then.

Carmelo Hayes Expresses Frustration With Losing The WWE US Title

Carmelo Hayes not only lost the United States Championship to Sami Zayn but also the opportunity to head into WrestleMania as a champion.

Speaking on the Michael Fairman Channel ahead of WrestleMania 42, Hayes was asked about dropping the US title to Zayn. The former NXT Champion did not mince his words, calling the experience ‘heartbreaking.’

It sucked, it definitely sucked and it was heartbreaking. It felt like I ran the race. I was so close to just throwing my arms up and crossing the finish line- and then I got kind of sidestepped a little bit. It sucks and it’s not something that I- listen, I’m a pro. At the end of the day, I’m a pro. I show up to work, what they need from me, I do it and I go above and beyond no matter what every time.

It’s one of those things, you got to charge it to the game. It wasn’t a personal thing, it wasn’t a me thing. It was whatever it needed to be, whatever that was and whatnot. It’s not something that I’m gonna sit here and go: ‘Oh, woe is me.’ I don’t move like that.

I had a day or two where I was like, ‘What the hell?” Then after that I was like, ‘You know what? Back to work man.’ (There’s) just a chip on my shoulder and watch what’s going to happen now. [H/T: Fightful]

At WWE WrestleMania 42, Sami Zayn walked in as the United States Champion against Trick Williams.

Williams won the match to be crowned the new champion, which was his first title on the main roster. Williams shares a rich history with Carmelo Hayes from their days back on WWE’s developmental show, NXT.

It remains to be seen if the two superstars reignite their rivalry on SmackDown, too.