Current NXT 2.0 Champion Loses Dark Match Before WWE SmackDown
A singles champ from NXT 2.0 stared at the lights before WWE SmackDown went live.
Reigning NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes lost a dark match before Friday's episode of SmackDown went live.
Hayes teamed with regular pal Trick Williams to stare at the lights for The Viking Raiders in front of WWE's audience in Virginia. This, incidentally, is the first time Carmelo has ever worked in the company outside NXT - he only joined WWE in February 2021.
In the other dark bout, Dakota Kai toppled Cora Jade. That was a rematch from the 2 November episode of NXT 2.0, and reportedly lasted a little longer than their prior TV match.
Back to Hayes.
Losing to The Viking Raiders in tag action is hardly a death sentence for the man's WWE career, but it is interesting to report that one of NXT's current champs dropped to defeat in a rudimentary dark match. WWE clearly has plans for Hayes and Williams, and they've been showing bags of personality each Tuesday night.
It'll be worth looking out for any more dark match appearances the duo makes. WWE officials might've been impressed by Carmelo's work on NXT 2.0 and wanted to reward that with a soft tryout before a possible main roster jump in the future.