Carmelo Hayes had a stellar end to his June, having stand-out matches with Baron Corbin on WWE NXT and Finn Balor in his WWE Monday Night Raw debut. If WWE wants to capitalize on his recent success, then Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams for the NXT title is the next top feud. While they have gone out of their way to present the duo well, Melo has proven beyond a doubt this week that he no longer needs Trick to be “HIM.”
Although the NXT Championship shouldn’t be changing hands in a matchup between the two, NXT has an opportunity to tell a new story with their top champion that varies significantly from what they have done so far. Additionally, feuding with Melo and putting on a good performance in the ring and outside of it could send Trick in a new direction that helps him reach new heights as a singles superstar.
Melo is Main Roster Ready Without Trick Williams
When Carmelo Hayes showed up on Raw and then proceeded to have a great match with Finn Balor, he proved himself to be main roster ready and completed his journey to stardom. Like Bron Breakker, his call-up is all but assured to be in the next batch. Whether that is next year or sometime in the fall is yet to be determined. Unlike Bron, though, Hayes has one big loose end to tie up. While he may be main roster-bound, his partner Trick Williams likely isn’t.
TrickMelo was an excellent vehicle for both superstars to display their charisma in the ring on the microphone. However, calling them up together won’t benefit either guy. Trick is still being prepared and needs more signature moments to get fans to care about his arrival.
Also, putting Melo in a tag team would be massively underutilizing a talent that could easily be a top guy, not to mention a former NXT champion. Letting the two friends feud now would be a change of pace for the world title scene and would handle the Trick Williams story before Carmelo heads back to Raw.
A New Type of Challenger for a New Champion
So far, Carmelo Hayes has had notable rivals in this run. Those are Bron Breakker and, most recently, Baron Corbin. Those two served his most anticipated foes outside a handful of other challengers. Both are bigger and stronger than Melo, requiring him to use his speed and put on gutsy performances as the babyface in peril.
Fans love a good underdog story, but having him feud with a guy like Dijak next is only going to retread well-worn ground at this point. Melo needs a new rivalry that feels fresh from his usual “David vs. Goliath stuff.” Melo’s personal connections with Trick Williams is precisely the kind of context that could stand out.
Trick Williams turning on his friend after losing a title shot or being refused one would be interesting as it would be about professional jealousy and not how powerful Williams is. Likewise, the best antagonists have a point, and Melo won his title with the help of Trick Williams. Although Hayes has since proven himself, the facts are the facts.
Trick could use that to make a solid point and add personal stakes we have yet to see in the championship picture. Also, both guys did some of their best promo work together. Microphone time hasn’t been a hallmark of this run; letting them do a few more scenes together would allow the chemistry they built to be paid off in a big way.
The Aftermath: Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams for the NXT Title
Although Trick won’t end up on top of this rivalry with Melo, it still has a ton of upside. If done correctly, Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams for the NXT Title could be a long feud that sets both men up for success. Carmelo will need to rely on more than just being the size of an underdog, especially given how he will be the favorite to win in the eyes of most fans.
Developing that side of his character will be crucial to future main roster success, where his particular brand of charisma and athleticism is a bit more common. We saw how he and his colleague Bron Breakker fared in their main roster dream matches. A feud with Trick would give him time to make a statement before his arrival.
Likewise, Trick striking out on his own as a heel, desperate to prove himself opens the door for new matchups against talented workers like Wes Lee, Dragon Lee, Nathan Frazer, and more. His quest for gold and to prove himself as good as his partner will give him a serious gimmick with a much higher probability of advancing up the card on NXT and beyond.
While there are certainly more enticing dream matches on the NXT card for Melo before he leaves, there should be time for that to happen. Sooner rather than later, WWE needs to let these two face off in the main event to wrap the alliance up and help both men advance their positions on the roster.
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