The May 15 episode of WWE SmackDown went down at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. You never know who will show up each week, and fans saw Carmelo Hayes make his return.
During a backstage segment this week, Carmelo Hayes showed up for an interview. The topic was not only his match against Ricky Starks that night, but also his return to television after two months off.
Prior to tonight’s episode of SmackDown, Carmelo Hayes had not competed since March 4, 2026, when he challenged Sami Zayn for the WWE United States Championship on WWE Friday Night SmackDown. Hayes came up short in the title match with Zayn. Hayes didn’t win that pre-WrestleMania encounter, but he wanted to prove himself against Ricky Starks on SmackDown this week.
Ricky Starks didn’t let Carmelo Hayes cut too much of a promo on him backstage. He also didn’t let Hayes think that he could beat him after taking a vacation.
We will have to see what Carmelo Hayes does next. The former NXT Champion has a ton of potential. At this point, he is back and looking fresh. Only time will tell how far he is able to advance up the roster during this run.
What’s your take on Carmelo Hayes’ return to WWE television? Do you think he needs a title? Let us know what you think in the comments section!