Carmelo Hayes recently shared his thoughts on winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and what the moment meant for his career. The WWE star spoke openly about the reaction from the crowd, the momentum the victory gave him, and why his ultimate focus has always been championship success.
While the win was an important milestone, Hayes explained that his ambitions go far beyond a single match victory. For him, the biggest motivation has always been capturing championship titles and building a lasting legacy.
Hayes Discusses the Moment After the Victory
During an appearance on The Battleground Podcast, Hayes looked back on the experience of winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal during WrestleMania week.
He described the moment as rewarding and memorable, especially because of the strong crowd reaction. Fans showed excitement as Hayes secured the victory, giving him a boost of momentum on the main roster.
However, Hayes also made it clear that while the win was meaningful, it was not his ultimate goal.
According to Hayes, he has always been focused on championship gold rather than individual moments.
| Topic | Key Point |
|---|---|
| Battle Royal Victory | A memorable career moment |
| Crowd Reaction | Fans showed strong support |
| Hayes’ Mindset | Focused on championships |
The victory helped strengthen Hayes’ position and increased attention around his rising career.
Also see: Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly Win AEW Trios Championship at Dynasty
Career Situation at the Time of the Win
At the time he won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, Hayes had only been on the WWE main roster for around one year.
The win helped elevate his profile and gave him an opportunity to gain momentum within the company. Despite the recognition, Hayes maintained that he wanted more than just the spotlight.
His primary focus remained winning major championships.
| Career Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Main Roster Experience | Around one year |
| Impact of Battle Royal | Boosted momentum |
| Long-Term Goal | Winning championship titles |
The moment served as an important step in his journey rather than the final destination.
Also see: Thekla Retains AEW Women’s World Championship After Defeating Jamie Hayter at Dynasty 2026
Hayes Achieves Championship Success
Hayes’ championship ambitions eventually became reality later in his career. In December 2025, he defeated Ilja Dragunov to capture the United States Championship.
That victory marked his first major singles title since moving to the main roster and confirmed his place among WWE’s rising stars.
| Wrestler | Result |
|---|---|
| Carmelo Hayes | Won the United States Championship |
| Ilja Dragunov | Lost the title to Hayes |
Winning the championship showed that Hayes had successfully turned momentum into real success.
Looking Ahead for Hayes
With WrestleMania season approaching again, the next Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal field has not yet been announced.
Hayes currently enters the period without a championship, meaning he could potentially participate again in the battle royal if he seeks another chance to build momentum.
Still, Hayes has consistently made it clear that his long-term goal remains championship gold rather than individual match victories.
Also see: Jon Moxley Retains AEW Continental Championship After Beating Will Ospreay at Dynasty
The former United States Champion continues to focus on climbing back toward the top of WWE’s title picture and building the next chapter of his career.
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