Triple H may have subtly confirmed 30-year-old star will get a huge push when WWE SmackDown moves to three hours

WWE has officially confirmed major news. Friday Night SmackDown is set to undergo a major change. Beginning next week, the blue brand will move from being two hours each week to a staggering three.

With that will come many changes. More stars are expected to receive the spotlight than ever before and some will probably be receiving major pushes to fill up the extra television time. For example, Carmelo Hayes may be a beneficiary of the move.

The 30-year-old star being pushed heavily seems likely, as Triple H has done several things lately that hint at Melo having a very bright future. With that being said, some examples and signs of his impending push have been more subtle than others.

The former A-Champ has been positioned as a key player by interacting with and wrestling against some of the top stars in the company. He also was protected in a major match on WWE SmackDown just last night and could even become a contender for a prized title.

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Carmelo Hayes didn't lose to Sami Zayn on WWE SmackDown

Last night, Carmelo Hayes went one-on-one with Sami Zayn in the final match on WWE SmackDown. Sami is a long-time veteran, a clear favorite of Triple H's, and one of the most pushed stars in the company.

The two had a fantastic match, but the bout didn't have a conclusive finish. Instead, interference from both Braun Strowman and The New Bloodline meant that neither man was able to defeat the other.

This is a big indicator that Hayes is in for quite the push on SmackDown moving forward. If Triple H didn't see much in Carmelo, or at least, had no plans to push him in the three-hour era, Sami would have simply won cleanly. That didn't happen.

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He recently received the spotlight against Cody Rhodes

Not losing to Sami Zayn is a great indicator of Melo's impending push, but so was his recent association with Cody Rhodes. The former WWE NXT Champion had a brief two-week program with The American Nightmare.

While Melo did lose this time, he was in a spotlight story with the top star in the company. Not only that but Melo was given a ton of offense. If Cody made Hayes look that good, it is clear there's more on the horizon for him.

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If Andrade wins the United States Title, Hayes could be next up

The last potential clue is far more subtle than the others. Andrade is feuding with Shinsuke Nakamura over the United States Title and could very well be dethroning The King Of Strong Style in the coming weeks.

Supposing that happens, Carmelo Hayes is likely Andrade's challenger. They have been feuding throughout 2024 and Hayes is the top heel of the mid-card. There is a very real chance that Andrade could be a transitional champion to get the belt onto Hayes in the three-hour era of SmackDown.