WWE's Carmelo Hayes Discusses 'Sink Or Swim' Situations He's Faced

WWE star Carmelo Hayes has opened up about being inserted into high-pressure situations both on the "WWE NXT" and "WWE Smackdown" roster while discussing how he was gifted many opportunities to either "sink or swim" in the company. 

Hayes spent three years in "NXT" and was recently called up to the main roster during the WWE Draft where he officially became aligned with the blue brand. In just three months, Hayes has fought the likes of Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and LA Knight while also qualifying for Money in the Bank this past June. The former NXT Champion has revealed that shining in the limelight early on is nothing new to him. Speaking with "SHAK Wrestling," Hayes compared his recent run on Friday nights to his initial start in "NXT," while also stating that he's been able to prove to everyone that he deserves to be in the ring with the best. 

"When I got to NXT, they did the same thing, they put me right up against Kushida for the Cruiserweight Championship immediately and then they put me against Adam Cole and then they put me through the Breakout tournament. So as long as I can remember I've been just put in these high-pressure situations and these sink or swim situations and, you know, I've just proven that every time that I'm a swimmer.

Hayes also mentioned that management already seems to trust him on the main roster, as he shared a moment when he thanked Triple H for allowing him to face former champions such as Orton, to which "The Game" reassured Hayes that they have confidence in him.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "SHAK Wrestling" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.