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During the latest episode of Friday Night SmackDown, WWE Superstar Carmelo Hayes faced Randy Orton in the quarterfinals of the ongoing King of the Ring tournament. Both superstars were eying for a spot in the semifinals and eventually, the finals of the tournament, which will be held at the 2024 King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Despite a strong showing, it was not meant to be for Hayes as he succumbed to an RKO out of nowhere, allowing Randy Orton to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.
Following this recent defeat, below are four possible directions for Carmelo Hayes on WWE SmackDown moving forward.
#4. Get revenge on The Viper
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As Carmelo Hayes headed into his quarterfinal match against Randy Orton this week on SmackDown, he exuded confidence in securing the win and advancing to the semifinals of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament. However, Orton demonstrated why he is known as The Apex Predator of WWE by executing an RKO in the closing stages of the bout to secure the victory.
Disappointed by the outcome, Hayes may seek revenge by potentially interfering in Randy's semifinal match against Tama Tonga next week.
#3. Send a statement to the entire locker room
There was recently a backstage confrontation between Carmelo Hayes and Bobby Lashley, during which Melo disrespected The All Mighty. Since then, Lashley has expressed his desire to teach the 29-year-old star a lesson.
This confrontation could potentially lead to a feud between the two stars, with Hayes seeking to prove himself against the former WWE Champion. A victory over Lashley could serve as a significant kickstart for Hayes' SmackDown career, sending a message to the entire locker room and establishing him as a force to be reckoned with on the roster.
#2. Cause major upset at the 2024 WWE King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event
Carmelo Hayes was selected as the first-round Draft pick for SmackDown a few weeks back. He immediately seized the opportunity by challenging the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, to a match later that night. Although he did not secure the victory, Hayes showcased his potential and let fans know why he is someone to watch out for in the future.
Now, Melo could want to get even with The American Nightmare. He could plot his revenge by causing interference during Cody's match against Logan Paul at the 2024 WWE King and Queen of the Ring Premium Live Event, ultimately costing Rhodes the match. This move could lead to Hayes forming an alliance with the current United States Champion moving forward.
#1. Seeds have been planted for a major match
There were a couple of instances of tension when LA Knight and Carmelo Hayes interacted during the latest episode of SmackDown. After Knight's loss to Tama Tonga, Melo approached The Megastar and engaged in some trash talk about the latter's loss. This escalated into bickering between the two, prompting referees and agents to intervene and separate them.
These interactions seem to hint at a potential feud between Knight and Hayes in the weeks to come, which could lead to a major PLE match down the line.
