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Christian Brigham (August 1, 1994) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Carmelo Hayes. In NXT, Hayes is the current NXT Champion and a former two-time NXT North American Champion.

Professional wrestling career[]

Beyond Wrestling (2015–2020)[]

On January 23, 2015, Brigham debuted in a Six Man Tag Team Match with Drew Mastone and Kevin Park where they defeated 2Buff, Ace Romero and Xavier Bell. During his career in this promotion he'd win a Pride Of New England Tournament For Tomorrow, where he defeated Kenn Doane, Alec Price and Richard Holliday in a tournament First Round, Semifinal and Final.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2021-present)[]

NXT[]

NXT North American Champion[]

On February 12, 2021, Brigham signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and was assigned to the WWE Performance Center. He would make his in-ring debut on the June 1 episode of NXT under the ring name Carmelo Hayes where he accepted Kushida's open challenge for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship but was defeated. On the June 22 episode of NXT, Hayes had his second match on NXT, reminiscent of John Cena's SmackDown debut in 2002 against Kurt Angle, confronting and then fighting Adam Cole, in a losing effort.

On July 6, Hayes was announced to be a part of the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament. On the July 27 episode of NXT, Hayes defeated Josh Briggs in the first round. He then went on to defeat Duke Hudson in the semi-finals on the August 17 episode, before defeating Odyssey Jones on the August 24 episode to win the 2021 NXT Breakout Tournament. On the September 14 episode of NXT, Hayes and a debuting Trick Williams maliciously attacked Duke Hudson before his match, establishing themselves as a heel duo.

On the October 12 episode of NXT 2.0, Hayes successfully cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract on Isaiah "Swerve" Scott to win the NXT North American Championship. Hayes made his first defence on the November 23 episode of NXT, defeating Pete Dunne and Johnny Gargano in a Triple Threat Match. After the bout, Hayes, Bron Breakker, Grayson Waller, and Tony D'Angelo would brawl with Dunne, Gargano, LA Knight, and Tommaso Ciampa. This resulted in Team 2.0 defeating Team Black and Gold in a WarGames Match at the namesake event on December 5. At New Year's Evil on January 4, 2022, Hayes defeated Roderick Strong to unify the NXT Cruiserweight Championship with the North American Championship. The following month, at Vengeance Day, Hayes retained his North American Championship against Cameron Grimes, before retaining against Pete Dunne on the March 1 episode of NXT.

At Stand & Deliver on April 2, Hayes lost his North American Championship to Cameron Grimes in a Five Way Ladder Match. Hayes attempted to regain the title from Grimes in a Triple Threat Match at Spring Breakin', but was unsuccessful. At In Your House on June 4, Hayes would finally defeat Grimes to capture the North American Championship for a second time. Hayes went on to retain the title against the likes of Tony D'Angelo, Grayson Waller, Nathan Frazer, Giovanni Vinci, and Ricochet. On the September 13 episode of NXT, Hayes was defeated by Solo Sikoa, bringing his second North American Championship reign to an end.

Hayes made his main roster debut on the October 13 episode of Main Event, defeating Cedric Alexander. At Halloween Havoc on October 22, Hayes attempted to regain the North American Championship in a Five Way Ladder Match, but was unsuccessful. On the November 22 episode of NXT, Hayes faced North American Champion Wes Lee in a losing effort. At Deadline on December 10, Hayes competed in the Iron Survivor Challenge, racking up two points, but failing to win. Hayes then began a feud with Apollo Crews, defeating him in two straight falls in a Two out of Three Falls Match at Vengeance Day on February 4, 2023. Later that night, after NXT Champion Bron Breakker defeated Grayson Waller, Hayes would appear, teasing a future match between the two.

NXT Champion[]

The title match between Breakker and Hayes took place at Stand & Deliver on April 1, where Hayes defeated Breakker to win the NXT Championship for the first time.

In wrestling[]

  • Entrance music
    • "The Greatest" by def rebel (NXT)
  • Nicknames
    • "The Thriller of New England"
    • "King of Drop"
    • "Killanova"
    • "The A-Champion"
  • Tag teams and stables
  • Entrance music
    • "Award Me" by Perfect Time (NXT)
    • "The Greatest" by def rebel (NXT)
    • "Melo Don't Miss" by def rebel (NXT/WWE)

Championships and accomplishments[]

External links[]

Wwe2014WWE RosterWwe2014
Raw

AkamAkira TozawaAlba FyreAlexa BlissAsukaBecky LynchBraun StrowmanBron BreakkerBronson ReedBrutus CreedCarlitoCarmellaChad GableCM PunkCruz Del ToroDakota KaiDamian PriestDexter LumisDominik MysterioDragon LeeDrew McIntyreErick RowanErikFinn BálorGuntherIsla DawnIYO SKYIvarIvy NileJD McDonaghJey UsoJoaquin WildeJoe GacyJulius CreedKairi SaneKarrion KrossKatana ChanceKayden CarterKiana JamesKofi KingstonLiv MorganLudwig KaiserLyra ValkyriaMaryseMaxxine DupriNatalyaNikki CrossOtisPete DunneR-TruthRaquel RodriguezRey MysterioRezarRhea RipleySami ZaynScarlettSeth RollinsShayna BaszlerSheamusSonya DevilleThe MizTitus O'NeilTyler BateValhallaXavier WoodsZelina VegaZoey Stark

SmackDown

Apollo CrewsA.J. StylesAlex ShelleyAndradeAngel GarzaAngelo DawkinsAshante AdonisAustin TheoryB-FABBayleyBianca BelairBig EBlair DavenportCandice LeRaeCarmelo HayesCedric AlexanderCharlotte FlairChelsea GreenChris SabinCody RhodesElektra LopezElton PrinceGiovanni VinciGrayson WallerHumberto CarrilloIlja DragunovJacob FatuJade CargillJimmy UsoJohnny GarganoKarl AndersonKevin OwensKit WilsonLA KnightLuke GallowsMichinMontez FordNaomiNia JaxPiper NivenRandy OrtonRidge HollandRoman ReignsSantos EscobarShinsuke NakamuraShotzi BlackheartSolo SikoaTama TongaTaminaTiffany StrattonTommaso CiampaTonga Loa

NXT

Adriana RizzoAndre ChaseArianna GraceAxiomBronco NimaBrooks JensenChanning LorenzoCharlie DempseyCora JadeDante ChenDion LennoxDuke HudsonEddy ThorpeEdris EnofeEthan PageFallon HenleyGigi DolinGiuliaJacy JayneJaida ParkerJakara JacksonJavier BernalJazmyn NyxJe'Von EvansJoe CoffeyJosh BriggsKarmen PetrovicKelani JordanLash LegendLexis KingLola ViceLuca CrusifinoLucien PriceMalik BladeMark CoffeyMyles BorneNathan FrazerNikkita LyonsNoam DarOba FemiOro MensahRoxanne PerezRiley OsborneShawn SpearsSol RucaStephanie VaquerTatum PaxleyTavion HeightsThea HailTony D'AngeloTrick WilliamsTyriek IgweTyson DupontWendy ChooWes LeeWolfgangWren SinclairZaria

Free agents

Brock LesnarOmos

Stables & Tag Teams

Alpha AcademyChase UDamage CTRLDiamond MineGallusLatino World OrderLegado Del FantasmaMeta-FourNo Quarter Catch CrewPretty DeadlyThe Authors of PainThe BloodlineThe D'Angelo FamilyThe Final TestamentThe Judgment DayThe New DayThe O.C.The Street ProfitsThe Viking RaidersThe Wyatt Sicks

Commentators & Interviewers

Booker TByron SaxtonCathy KelleyCorey GravesJackie RedmondJoe TessitoreMegan MorantMichael ColeSarah SchreiberVic JosephWade Barrett

Ring announcers

Alicia TaylorMike RomeSarah Schreiber

Referees

Chad PattonCharles RobinsonChip DanningDan EnglerDallas IrvinDanilo AnfibioDaphne LashaunnDarryl SharmaDerek SandersEddie OrengoJason AyersJessika CarrJohn ConeOlympe MargauxRich SwiftRod ZapataRyan TranShawn BennettTom ScarboroughWill Charlton

Pre-Show Panel

Booker TDavid OtungaJackie RedmondJohn Bradshaw LayfieldPete RosenbergSam Roberts

NXT Trainers

Matthew BloomNorman SmileyRobbie BrooksideSara Del ReyShawn MichaelsTerry Taylor

General Managers

Adam Pearce (Raw) • Nick Aldis (SmackDown) • Ava (NXT)

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