Who is Carmelo Hayes?
Carmelo Hayes is a professional wrestler who signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2021. How now works under WWE’s SmackDown brand. He first became the NXT Champion before making a cut into the main roster in 2024.
Carmelo lived an industrious life from 2014 to 2020 before joining NXT. Since 2023, Hayes has been featured in every WWE video game. His real name is Christian Brigham.
Carmelo Hayes’ Basics
- Carmelo Hayes was born on August 1, 1994.
- Carmelo’s age is 31 years.
- He was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States.
- Hayes’ nationality is American.
- Carmelo hails from an African-American heritage.
- Carmelo made his professional debut on April 12, 2014.
- Hayes is 5 feet and 10 inches tall.
- 95 kg is Carmelo’s body weight.
- Hayes has black hair and dark brown eyes.
- He has an athletic and powerhouse body type.
- Carmelo is a Christian.
- He has placed sevreal tattoos on his body.
- Hayes loves staying fit, and protein is a very rich part of his life.
| Basics | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Carmelo Hayes |
| Real Name | Christian Brigham |
| Born | August 1, 1994 |
| Age | 31 years |
| Birth Place | Framingham, Massachusetts, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Faith | Christian |
| Height | 5 feet and 10 inches |
| Weight | 95 kg |
| Eyes | Dark Brown |
| Hair | Black |
| Feet Size | 11 (US) |
| Tattoos | Yes |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegitarian |
A Look into Early Life
- Carmelo had a childhood filled with loving professional wrestling, basketball and football.
- He grew up in Framingham, where he was also born.
- He graduated from Framingham High School in 1994.
- After completing high school, he chose to train in professional wrestling.
- Despite being a flamboyant person, he has not revealed the names of his parents and siblings in public.
- Carmelo had a deep love for playing sports, spending time with his friends and watching action movies.
Carmelo Hayes Marital Life
- Kelani Jordan, who is a professional wrestler, is the wife of Carmelo Hayes.
- Kelani’s in-ring name in pro wrestling is Lea Mitchell.
- She is a former artistic gymnast.
- In 2023, they started dating. Both were with the NXT brand back then.
- On July 1, 2025, they got engaged.
- The pair married on March 18, 2026.
- The professional commitments have not given them time to plan family life.
Early Years in Professional Wrestling
- At the New England Pro Wrestling Academy, he learned the basics of wrestling.
- He was billed from Worcester and Boston.
- His first in-ring name was Christian Casanova.
- On April 12, 2014, he made his pro debut at Chaotic Wrestling.
- From 2014 to 2021, he polished his skills in several independent promotions.
- He once adopted a Michael Jackson-esque gimmick.
- His nickname was “The Thriller of New England”.
- He won the Chaotic Wrestling Heavyweight Championship twice.
- Once each, he won the Chaotic Wrestling New England Championship and Chaotic Wrestling Tag Team Championship with Tripilicious.
WWE Move
- From 2021 to 2024, Carmelo Hayes spent his early WWE years in NXT.
- He won several titles in NXT:
| 1x NXT Cruiserweight Championship |
| 2x NXT North American Championship |
| 1x NXT Championship |
- He also trained at the WWE Performance Center.
- In 2024, he officially joined SmakDown.
- In 2025, he won the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
- He is the one-time WWE United States Champion.
As a kid, it was Carmelo’s dream to compete in WWE. In 2021, he fulfilled his dream.
Carmelo Hayes Future and Persona
- Carmelo Hayes carries the raw power. It becomes even better with his ability to carry a pop persona.
- Hayes is known for his raw power and athletic ability.
- In the coming years, there are major chances of him competing for the top PPV spots.
- Being good with a mic, it adds a bonus to his CV.
Carmelo Hayes Social Media and Net Worth
- Carmelo Hayes has a million-plus followers across Instagram, TikTok and X.
- He loves posting key moments of life on social media.
| Basics | Social Hanlde |
|---|---|
| X | @Carmelo_WWE |
| @carmelo_wwe | |
| TikTok | @carmelo_wwe |
- Carmelo Hayes is a multi-millionaire with a net worth of USD 2 million.
- Overall, he takes home $350,000 a year from WWE.
- The passive income of Carmelo comes from brand deals.
- Carmelo likes spending money on fashion and high-end cars.
FAQs
Are Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams friends?
Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are best friends in real life.
Who is Carmelo Hayes in a relationship with?
Professional wrestler Kelani Jordan is the wife of Carmelo Hayes.
What happened to Carmelo Hayes?
Carmelo Hayes is with WWE, competing for the highest order.
Has Carmelo Hayes ever worked with AEW?
Carmelo Hayes has not competed in AEW.
Carmelo Hayes’ Trivia
- He is an ex-baseball player.
- “Melo Don’t Miss” is his famous NXT catchphrase.
- He is the first wrestler to win the NXT Championship, NXT North American Championship, and NXT Cruiserweight Championship.
- “Nothing But Net” is his finishing move.
- “WWE 2K23” was the first video game he featured in.
- He loved watching John Cena, Edge, Eddie Guerrero and Shawn Michaels.
- HBK’s in-ring style influenced him a lot.
- Carmelo loves listening to rap music.
- He is a regular MLB watcher.
- Carmelo loves making tattoos.
- He has neutral political views.
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