Big Plans On The Horizon For Two Major WWE NXT Wrestlers
These rivals square off at Stand & Deliver, but when could they make a splash on the main roster?
Fans of NXT have long been hip to Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, but WWE audiences might soon get more regular viewings of these talented former friends.
Hayes and Williams had been an inseparable duo since the NXT 2.0 days, but after a tumultuous few months, they are set to finally face each other at Stand & Deliver on 6 April during WrestleMania Weekend.
Fightful Select reports that the current plans are for the rivalry to main event the NXT PLE, though that hasn't been locked in yet. The other contender, the NXT Championship match between champ Ilja Dragunov and challenger Tony D'Angelo, isn't as heated of a feud, and officials are pushing for Trick/Melo to get the top spot.
Reportedly, none other than NXT head honcho Shawn Michaels has been "very hands on" with this storyline, which included a lengthy "whodunnit?" angle involving a backstage attack on Williams that eventually was revealed to have been carried out by Hayes. Melo attacked Trick at the conclusion of Vengeance Day last month, ending their partnership and setting up the Stand & Deliver match.
Regarding both men's future post-'Mania XL, one source told Fightful that Hayes has been set for a main roster call-up since before the Royal Rumble and is expected to move up in the summer. Carmelo had a cup of coffee on SmackDown in January in the lead-up to the Rumble, competing in the United States Championship number one contendership tournament and battling Austin Theory. A permanent move to the main roster seems on the horizon for the former NXT Champion.
Williams' future is a bit trickier. Fightful said officials noted the reaction he received during a surprise appearance on SmackDown in January, and he has easily been one of the most popular stars on the NXT roster in recent times. However, he also has less in-ring experience and would likely benefit from more reps on a smaller stage before being thrust into a brighter spotlight.
Fightful indicated that there have been pitches for Trick and Melo to continue their feud on the main roster, but Williams' plans post-WrestleMania remain unclear.