WWE Splits Tag-Team On This Week's SmackDown (WWE News)
This tag-team formed in February, but Triple H pulled the plug on SmackDown.
Melo Don't Miz is no longer a thing.
WWE chief Triple H and his creative squad decided to disband the tag-team on this week's episode of SmackDown. Firstly, The Miz questioned why Carmelo Hayes hadn't rushed in to help break up a pinfall during their match vs. The Street Profits. Firing back, the ex-NXT man wondered why his so-called mentor hadn't been able to kick out of the situation on his own.
Things got heated, then Hayes said he was walking away from their union. He didn't want to get physical or throw hands though, because he fancied "trying to be cool" about things. That was never going to sit well with Miz.
Later, when Melo answered the call for Sami Zayn's United States Title open challenge segment, The Miz ambushed him from behind and laid his now-former partner out with a Skull Crushing Finale. For what it's worth, the live crowd did seem invested in that spot, but it remains to be seen just how interested people will be in an ensuing feud between the pair.
Miz and Hayes had only come together as a team in February 2025, so they don't have a lot of history to work with here. Even so, it seems inevitable that they'll have a couple of one-on-one matches before moving on to other things. Most will be hoping that this isn't the latest false dawn for Carmelo on WWE's main roster - he's been a bit stop-start since jumping up from NXT in the 2024 Draft.
Opinion: WWE Better Have Something Better Planned For Melo
Triple H hasn't exactly come through for ex-NXT live wire Hayes since his leap from the developmental brand to SmackDown in April 2024. His first forays onto the main roster seemed promising. Matches against the likes of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton showed what he's capable of inside the ring, but WWE bosses failed to follow up on those with anything meaningful to keep his momentum going.
A series of critically acclaimed bouts vs. Andrade (who recently went back to AEW for a second stint under Tony Khan's watch) did get fans talking, but that proved to be another 'get your hopes up only to have them dashed' scenario for Melo. He bounced around doing little of note before launching into a tag storyline with The Miz in February 2025.
Initially, it looked like they'd find unlikely tag title success, but that didn't happen in the end. Now they've split, the hope will be that Hunter puts Melo over Miz then has a follow-on plan to keep him hot. If not, then questions will be asked about exactly why WWE bothered to separate the pair in the first place.
Fingers crossed.