For the past couple of months, The Miz has been partnered with Carmelo Hayes. Seeing how Hayes was still learning the ropes on SmackDown, he has made it his mission to make sure that he has a successful career. The results have been pretty good, with both men working together well.
However, the past couple of weeks have shown tension between them. Hayes wants a WWE United States Championship title shot, as he feels like he has earned it due to his hard work. But going after the WWE Tag Team Championships is the right move in The Miz’s mind. On the September 12, 2025, episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Hayes officially earned a United States title shot. The Miz understandably wasn’t happy, but Hayes suggested he go after both championships. Is The Miz getting in Hayes’ way, or does the crafty veteran have a legitimate point in his actions?
The Miz is Hiding Some Major Internal Jealousy
What Hayes is now is what The Miz was twenty years ago. The young athletic superstar with limitless potential that can be unlocked with success. His NXT run was phenomenal and he’s naturally trying to translate that success to the main roster. This might seem like a good plan to most people, and The Miz naturally went along with it at first.
But every time Hayes advances, The Miz gets a flashback to where he was at the time. His admiration has quietly morphed into jealousy over the past couple of weeks. He realizes that Hayes will become more popular than he is if he starts winning championships. If that happens, there’s a solid chance he might get dropped, leaving him on his own. The Miz is fearful that he won’t matter anymore, which is why he’s trying to control what Hayes does in the ring.
The Miz is Trying to Shield Hayes from Disappointment
If you look at Hayes’ NXT run, it’s pretty impressive from top to bottom. He won three separate titles four times, including an 182 day reign as NXT Champion. He’s clearly thinking that he’ll have that same success on the main roster. That seems nice, but we’ve seen countless times that some wrestlers have most of their success in NXT.
The Miz has been on the main roster for twenty years now. He’s seen so many wrestlers arrive and leave, including multiple NXT champions. He knows how hard it is to work your way up the card on the main roster. Hayes thinks he’s being mean to him and stifling his opportunities. But The Miz wants him to be smart with his decisions, so he won’t experience disappointment. Choosing your battles wisely is important, and The Miz wants him to make smart decisions, not emotional ones.
Both Sides Can Be Seen as Reasonable
Whenever there’s tension between a veteran and prospect, fans usually pick the latter’s side. But in this scenario, it’s easy to see both sides of the argument. Hayes absolutely should get any title shot he can. If he wins, it’ll be the start of a well-deserved push and a chance to show the main roster how talented he truly is.
It makes sense why The Miz would have reservations, as he is fearful of Hayes walking out on him. But he knows that the main roster is completely different from NXT. That’s why his actions are defendable as well. There’s no guarantees that main roster success will happen to anyone getting called up, even NXT champions. He doesn’t want Hayes to get too greedy and then crumble under pressure. With both sides making sense, it’ll be interesting to see where the tag team goes from here.
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