Three WWE superstars are leaving the company, and their fellow wrestlers are devastated by the news.
On Friday, it was revealed that Baron Corbin, Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox are all being let go, with fans gutted to see the trio – who have appeared across Raw, SmackDown and NXT – gone amid roster releases.
Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk, Carmelo Hayes said: ‘It’s weird because I’ve been through it a lot unfortunately, where you’re with somebody one day and they’re gone the next.
‘It’s kinda like a survivor’s guilt, you know what I mean? After a day or two, you’re like, “Man!” You just hate to see that for them.’
Hayes – who got to know Corbin in NXT and worked with him after being called up to SmackDown – admitted the former NFL played turned wrestling veteran has been a big help for him.
‘Listen, Baron was one of the people that actually took a liking to me, and took me under his wing. He did so much for me, he helped me so much, he gave me so much advice,’ he explained.
‘Not just wrestling, life advice, money advice, so many things. I’m forever indebted to Baron Corbin – super talented, and I hate to see him go.
‘That was one of those ones that really kinda hurt, seeing that, because believe it or not, me and Baron were pretty close, pretty tight. Everybody loved Baron!’
He also gave a shout out to Indi, while Johnny Gargano – who worked with her in The Way, and whose wife Candice LeRae has teamed with the Australian star – thinks the sky is the limit for the former NXT Women’s Champion.
‘Obviously everybody knows what Indi means to me and Candice, we absolutely love and we absolutely believe in her,’ he told us.
‘We still do believe that she’s so incredibly young, I think she’s got a lot to offer the wrestling world, and I am very excited to see what she shows the wrestling world,’ he added.
‘I think she’s got untapped personality, untapped potential. I think when she’s able to finally show that to the world, people are gonna latch on.’
While Gargano acknowledged that you ‘never know what can happen’, he’s hoping she might follow a similar path after he and his wife both stepped away from WWE before returning down the line.
‘It worked out for me and Candice,’ he admitted. ‘Hopefully she ends up back here, but you never know!’
And Hayes said: ‘Everyone that comes through here leaves better, that’s the one thing. Anyone who’s ever been through WWE leaves with a higher stock!’
Former NFL star Corbin had been part of WWE for well over a decade since signing in 2012, initially appearing on NXT before moving up to the main roster four years later.
During his time, he won the United States Championship, as well as Money In The Bank, King of the Ring and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but the company has reportedly informed him his contract won’t be renewed.
Alluding to his departure, he wrote on X: ‘That’s all she wrote folks. ✌🏼 It’s been real and I appreciate everyone who supported me.’
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