Michael Hayes Addresses Backlash Over Chelsea Green Comments on WWE Unreal

Michael Hayes is finally addressing the fallout from his controversial comments about Chelsea Green on WWE Unreal — and he insists the full story wasn’t shown.

After Green publicly admitted she was hurt by hearing her perceived “ceiling” discussed on a Netflix platform, Hayes broke his silence on the February 25, 2026 episode of the Six Feet Under podcast. According to Hayes, the portrayal left out crucial context. He began by claiming that his praise for Green was edited out entirely.

“Now, I’ve talked to Netflix about this because when we did that interview — and I recall this specifically — when we started the interview, the first thing I said was, ‘Chelsea is as good, as talented, and as entertaining as anyone we have.’ But of course, that never saw the light of day. It was left on the cutting room floor because if you’re going to make me a heel, the best way to do it is to say she’s not good enough. That’s not what I was saying.”

Hayes made it clear he doesn’t regret what aired — but he insists his comments were about her current role, not her ability. He then pointed to past examples where WWE pivoted when fan support forced the company’s hand.

“I don’t regret what I said because her role at the time — and even right now — is not the top role. It’s to help make other people. And as you know, we’re always only as good as the people who help make us. Now, with that said, if Chelsea caught fire because of the following and support she has, we’d go with that in a heartbeat. Look at Daniel Bryan. Look at Kofi Kingston. When they caught fire, we went with it — whether some people at the top agreed or not, we went with it.”

But Hayes doesn’t believe that moment has arrived for Green — at least not yet. He also shared his philosophy on organic fan support, suggesting that part of Green’s appeal is that she feels underdog and self-made.

“We’re not there with Chelsea. And I feel that the people who support Chelsea now — if we started pushing her — they’d fade, because she’d be getting the push from the machine. And if she’s getting the push from the machine, then she doesn’t need my help. Intricately, I feel that fans love it when they know their support makes a difference and can change a career. Chelsea is amazingly talented and entertaining. She can handle anything. But that’s the role she’s in right now — and not necessarily her fault. To her credit, she knows her role, and she plays it with a smile.”

Hayes didn’t deny that Green could be doing more. He closed by reiterating his belief that pushing Green too aggressively could backfire.

“I agree she is underutilized. I spoke what I felt to be the truth. Not all of what I said was put out there. People have hated me since the beginning of time, and if you ask me a question, I’ll tell you the truth. I still feel that if we get behind her, it hurts the bit of a rebel push that she gets.”

This definitely reframes the situation. Rather than walking back his stance, Hayes is arguing that context was lost in editing — and that his comments were about creative positioning, not talent. Whether fans buy that explanation is another story.

Do you think Michael Hayes’ clarification changes how you view the original comments, or does it raise even more questions about Chelsea Green’s spot in WWE? Sound off below.

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