Original Artwork Jason Jimenez-Garrido
For the past two months, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Universe was treated to a back-and-forth series of matches between Andrade and Carmelo Hayes, two elite performers looking to prove who the better competitor is.
On the Sept. 13, 2024, episode of ‘SmackDown’, we witnessed the tie-breaking match in their ‘best-of-five’ match series. The series was tied 2-2, with Andrade taking the first two wins. However, determined to prove his claim of being ‘Him’, Hayes made a strong comeback by taking the last two victories.
Both wrestlers came into the SmackDown roster after the 2024 ‘WWE Draft’, with the goal of becoming WWE’s next top star. However, there’s only room for one under the spotlight.
For Andrade, his motive is to replicate the success he once saw in WWE before leaving the company and joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW.)
Having elevated his value in AEW, Andrade came back to the WWE in hopes of finally winning a World Championship. However, a huge obstacle stands in his way with Hayes.
For the last three years, Hayes carried NXT on his back. His accolades include winning the Cruiserweight, North American, and NXT world championships. When ‘NXT’ rebranded to ‘NXT 2.0’ in 2021, Hayes stepped up to become the star the show lacked.
After all of Hayes’ accomplishments in NXT, it was time for move on to the main roster. The WWE certainly sees a lot of potential in Hayes, who was drafted to SmackDown in the first round of the Draft. Therefore, Hayes believes he already belongs at the top.
Their feud began on the July 12, 2024, episode of SmackDown after the ‘Money In The Bank (MITB)’ Premium Live Event (PLE) where both men participated in the Men’s ‘MITB Ladder Match.’ Andrade was in the middle of an interview with Byron Saxton, where he was asked “What’s next for Andrade?”
The interview was interrupted by Hayes, who didn’t appreciate Saxton calling Andrade the “MVP of the match.” Hayes claimed he had the best performance in the match, but due to being immobilized with a sunset-flip powerbomb through a ladder by Andrade, he blamed him for his loss.
This prompted Andrade to ask Saxton to repeat the question, to which he answered, “What is next? Him.” pointing to Hayes.
This led to their first match on the July 19, 2024, episode of SmackDown. This was a highly competitive match with both competitors looking evenly matched. However, Andrade took the win.
Their second encounter had the same result, with Andrade winning fair and square. Though Hayes, unhappy with his capabilities being questioned, claimed those victories were a fluke and requested another match.
Hayes won their third match, outsmarting Andrade with a roll-up pin. This resulted in a brawl after the match, in which both men had to be separated.
With their issues not resolved, they met again on Aug. 30. This time, Hayes won, tying the series and proving himself capable of beating Andrade fair and square.
In the end, Andrade proved to be the better man, winning the fifth match of the series, and earning a match for the U.S Championship.
What makes this rivalry special is that it isn’t about a heated personal issue or a Championship title belt. In a show where most storylines revolve around family issues, friend betrayals, or fighting over Championships, this has simply been a battle for the spotlight.
Its been refreshing to see the WWE allow their talent to have a rivalry where the emphasis is on their work in the ring and not on the outside drama.
This rivalry has received praise on X (formerly known as Twitter.)
The account @TheEnemiesPE3 previously stated their excitement for the fifth clash between the two, writing,
“No titles, No. 1 Contenders matches, or trophies just simply wanting to see who the better wrestler is. Carmelo Hayes and Andrade are doing something special and 5th match is gonna be top tier 🔥 #Smackdown”
Another user asked for more battles between the two. On Sept. 13, 2024, X user @WrassleRap wrote,
“The Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade series is as good as wrestling gets. The classic bragging rights storyline always delivers. A best-of-seven between these two would’ve [been] amazing to see. #SmackDown “
It seems that Andrade is moving on from the feud, with his focus shifting to his upcoming U.S Championship match against LA Knight. Though that remains to be seen, as in a now deleted Instagram post, Hayes teased two more matches saying “Melo in 7.”