10 Wrestlers Who Will PEAK In 2023
7. Carmelo Hayes
For all that NXT 2.0 was a bit of a mess (especially for those who loved the black and gold era), one unquestionable success has been Carmelo Hayes. A fantastic indie acquisition, Hayes was thrown in at the deep end in the dying days of HHH’s NXT, facing Adam Cole and winning the Breakout Tournament.
When NXT returned to a proper developmental system, Hayes shined even brighter as a veteran (relatively speaking). While Bron Breakker has been the promotion’s focus from the off, Hayes has taken every opportunity to shine against the likes of Roderick Strong and Cameron Grimes, and should be set for a main roster run before too long.
A real all-rounder, Hayes would slot right into WWE’s increasingly strong midcard, and could be relied upon to have excellent matches with any of that roster - Gargano, Nakamura, Gable to name but a few.
He has the swagger and skill to connect with an audience in a big way so long as he’s given the right opportunity, and with a backer in Triple H at the helm, hopefully that’ll happen.