Carmelo Hayes Sparks WWE Future Questions After Social Move

Carmelo Hayes' WWE future drew attention on Oct. 12, 2026, after the wrestler changed his X profile image and MJF shared a throwback photo of their independent wrestling match. The moves fueled speculation about Hayes' status and possible next steps.

According to reports from Cageside Seats, AOL, WhatCulture, and Sports Yahoo, Hayes has not appeared on WWE television for nearly two months. His last match was an Aug. 14, 2026, SmackDown loss while challenging Baron Corbin for the United States Championship.

Hayes' absence has not been explained publicly by WWE. According to AOL, Sean Ross Sapp said in an August Fightful Select Q&A that there had been no negative reports about Hayes, describing him as professional, dependable, and having significant upside.

The former NXT Champion and United States Champion also removed his X profile picture, a move that increased speculation among wrestling fans. Reports noted the change does not confirm that Hayes is leaving WWE or joining another promotion.

MJF later posted an image from the independent wrestling era when Hayes competed as Christian Casanova. The two wrestlers previously faced each other before reaching WWE and AEW, including a 2019 six-man match recorded by Cagematch.

Andrade also drew attention to Hayes' absence in September by asking about his location on social media.

"Where are you, amigo?" said Andrade.

Hayes joined WWE's main roster around the same period as Ilja Dragunov. Reports from Cageside Seats stated Dragunov's WWE contract expired and was not renewed, while speculation about Hayes' own future remains unconfirmed.

Hayes began 2026 as a regular television performer and United States Champion, according to WhatCulture. He later lost that championship to Sami Zayn in March and had additional unsuccessful opportunities in major WWE events.

MJF's post also referenced their earlier independent wrestling connection. According to Sports Yahoo, their last recorded match together took place on Jan. 4, 2019, days before MJF joined AEW.