5 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE SmackDown (April 26 - Results & Review)

2. Carmelo Hayes Targets The Champ

Cody Rhodes Triple H Carmelo Hayes
WWE.com

It's refreshing to see an NXT call-up go straight after the biggest champion on the roster immediately. That booking made Carmelo Hayes look like someone fans should pay close attention to on his first official night as a SmackDown talent, which is awesome. He's also good enough to wear that sort of lofty spot well (even if some folks who only watch main roster action might not know much about him).

Melo interrupting Cody and Triple H was bold, and it was even bolder when he fired out a challenge to Rhodes for a match. As a babyface hero who never backs down from a fight should, Rhodes accepted. Suddenly, SmackDown had one of the freshest main events in recent memory to showcase.

It's one they'll come back to in 2025.

Hayes never looked out of his depth when holding the stick and eyeballing Cody. He can be proud of that, not least when it would've been easier to wilt under the scorching spotlight here. Credit must go to Rhodes and Trips for treating Carmelo like a serious threat and a major player too.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.