Carmelo Hayes shocked WWE fans when he aligned himself with 946 on the October 12 episode of RAW, but according to a new backstage report, that moment had apparently been in the works for a long time.
According to False Finish, Carmelo Hayes wasn’t a last-minute addition to the faction. The report claims WWE had him penciled in for the group as far back as July, months before he finally revealed his allegiance.
The report also points to Hayes’ United States Championship program as part of the timeline. Hayes wrapped up his pursuit of the title on the August 14 episode of SmackDown with his loss to Baron Corbin, and after that, he gradually disappeared from WWE television.
That absence suddenly made a lot more sense on October 12. Hayes resurfaced in dramatic fashion by attacking Solo Sikoa with a tire iron before standing tall alongside Bronco Nima, Lucien Price and Royce Keys to close the show. Instead of a random return, it now appears WWE had been building toward that moment for months.
Bottom line: Hayes wasn’t sitting on the sidelines without a plan—he was simply waiting for the right time to make his move. And judging by the way 946 closed RAW, it looks like WWE has some big plans for the faction with Hayes now officially in the mix.
Did WWE make the right call by pairing Carmelo Hayes with 946, or would you have preferred to see him return on his own? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
