- Hayes was facing off against Styles when the veteran picked up his current injury
- The match was cut short with Styles taking a breaking from WWE due to issue
- Up-and-coming star Hayes has a win over both Styles and Orton so far this year
Carmelo Hayes has broken his silence on the injury suffered by AJ Styles in his comeback match last month.
Hayes, who is one of the highest-rated up-and-coming stars in WWE, was going one-on-one with veteran Styles, who had just returned to the company after a number of months away.
The match was cut short, however, when Styles suffered a foot injury, causing a call to be made on the fly with the win given to Hayes.
Fans were left wondering whether or not the injury was real, but it was, and Styles has now not been seen since as he takes another break to recover from the injury he suffered.
It is believed to have happened when Hayes landed a springboard crossbody off the ropes, with The Phenomenal One continuing before the bout was eventually stopped. And now, speaking exclusively to Mail Sport, Hayes has given his version of events.
Carmelo Hayes (pictured) has broken his silence on the injury suffered by AJ Styles in the pair’s match
Styles (right) picked up a foot injury in the match, causing it to be cut short on his WWE return
The Phenomenal One had just returned to the company but it is unclear when he will be seen again
Hayes also opened up on what working with WWE legend Randy Orton (pictured) is really like
‘It was super frustrating,’ he said. ‘But we are going to run it back. When AJ comes back and stuff like that.
‘The truth is I was the one that took out the Phenomenal One, so AJ, if you want to come back and get it, come back to me.
‘It is a W in the record books, I did beat AJ Styles and Randy Orton in the same year, all these [former] WWE champions.’
Hayes has risen to stardom since debuting in WWE in 2021, working in developmental brand NXT before being called up to the main roster this year.
He has been involved in a United States championship feud with Andrade and LA Knight recently, and is tipped for success in the near future.
One of his highlights so far has been facing Orton, with the two having a match alongside Tama Tonga in a Money in the Bank qualifier earlier this year.
On facing the veteran, Hayes said: ‘It was amazing, one of those outer body things.
‘When you are in the ring you are super professional, but when you go back, you think, “That was super cool”.’
WWE RAW heads to Netflix in January 2025, with the show available to stream for the first time in its 31-year history
