Carmelo Hayes sparks exit speculation after X profile blackout amid WWE absence

Carmelo Hayes has fuelled questions about his WWE future after blacking out his profile picture on X amid an extended absence from WWE programming following the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, with no confirmation of a departure as of October 11.

Hayes first signed with WWE in February 2021 and was promoted to the main roster in 2024, at which point his contract was adjusted to standard main-roster terms including a higher baseline salary. His most recent live-event appearance was a singles match against Baron Corbin in which he failed to capture the WWE United States Championship, and he has not been seen on weekly WWE television since. The 32-year-old’s social media change has driven renewed attention while WWE continues to advance multiple storylines within the Stamford-based promotion.

Hayes blacking out his X profile picture (X was formerly Twitter) prompted speculation that he might be preparing for a major career change, although there has been no official announcement of his departure from WWE. As far as is known, no report has confirmed that Hayes has quit the company.

The possibility of Hayes leaving WWE gained further public visibility when AEW star Andrade El Idolo, who previously had a rivalry with Hayes in WWE, posted on X tagging Hayes and asking, “Where are you Amigo?” The message appeared after Hayes’ loss to Corbin and drew attention to his limited television appearances; Andrade returned to AEW after their WWE rivalry and has been active in AEW’s championship picture.

A recent Fightful Select report noted that MJF has significant influence over the storylines in which he is directly involved and contributes creatively to some extent. There is no reported connection between MJF’s creative influence and Hayes’ absence from WWE, and no indication that MJF has requested Hayes’ signing or that AEW has approached him.

If Hayes were ever to join AEW, his athletic ability, microphone skills, and previous rivalry with Andrade were cited as elements that could create several creative possibilities, and a programme involving established names such as MJF was suggested as one potential route to showcase him. Those scenarios remain hypothetical, however, because neither Hayes nor AEW has confirmed any interest.

Carmelo Hayes’ social-media blackout has not been matched by any public confirmation of a move away from WWE as of October 11, and neither Hayes nor AEW has publicly acknowledged discussions about a signing or a transfer.