WWE NXT will present its next Premium Live Event this Saturday, Sept. 30, in Bakersfield, CA. ‘No Mercy’ will return as an NXT event, continuing a trend the developmental brand has used with PLE names of the past. And NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is poised to make a name for himself again.
For the second consecutive NXT PLE, Hayes will defend his championship against the feisty Ilja Dragunov. NXT fans have become familiar with the brand of physicality that Dragunov brings to the table. ‘Melo introduced himself to that and more at ‘The Great American Bash’ in July, but the 29-year-old Boston native still emerged victorious. And as things intensified, the NXT Champion isn’t wilting.
Before the high-stakes championship match, Hayes sat down with The Comeback to chat.
When asked what fans can expect from him, ‘Melo kept himself calm. “I don’t wanna necessarily put expectations on myself,” Hayes said. “I’m expecting to walk out as champion – of course, I’m going to say that. I don’t ever plan to lose.
“But Ilja Dragunov is a fantastic talent, man,” Hayes admitted. “He’s been one of the best in the world. He truly is. He’s been one of my toughest opponents in so many ways. But at the same time, he’s brought the best out in me. He’s made me push harder than I thought I could, and for that alone, I’m really looking forward to getting back in the ring with him and seeing how much further I can push. And this time, get the win with no asterisk. No questions about it.”
Hayes and the NXT superstars will have another unique opportunity ahead of them at ‘No Mercy.’ The event, airing live from Bakersfield, will emanate far away from NXT’s home base of Orlando, FL. In the past, NXT used to travel much more frequently, holding their PLEs, previously referred to as TakeOvers, from arenas the same weekend as WWE’s Big 4 events.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed everything down, though. WWE stopped touring, and NXT did too. The developmental brand aired shows out of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando after years spent at Full Sail University. They have only just recently gotten on the road both nationally and around Florida, so compared to years prior, this NXT class is working under different circumstances.
“It’s great,” Hayes said of the differences, keying in on the receptions he and others in NXT receive at these events. The champ said that the reactions tell the story of whether what they’re doing is working or not, and it was both “validating and reassuring” in certain ways. Hayes specifically mentioned it was reassuring to know people watch NXT and are paying attention.
“It’s a testament to the program and how hard all of the talent’s working.”
The energy in the big arenas contrasts hugely with the energy inside the small venue that NXT broadcasts out of each Tuesday night. NXT TakeOvers have been held at Barclays Center, Crypto.com Arena, Allstate Arena in Chicago, and plenty of other locations. The environment and red-hot crowds were among the big selling points and allures to the events in the first place.
Hayes acknowledged what the crowd does for him and other NXT stars at these shows. However, Carmelo made sure to give love to the fans in Florida too.
“There’s certain benefits to them both. The luxury that we have of being in Orlando is that the crowd is gonna see you grow,” Hayes said. “You’re like their kid. ‘This is our Carmelo Hayes!’ And when you’re on the road, you’re in front of people for the very first time. And a lot of times, when you’re in my position, they have very high expectations of you.” ‘Melo added that he makes sure to keep that in mind every time he goes out there, an added pressure he seemed to have no issue grappling with.
You can see Carmelo Hayes defend the NXT Championship against Ilja Dragunov and much more at NXT: No Mercy. The event begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night, Sept. 30, exclusively on Peacock.
