A social media exchange took place on X between current AEW wrestler Ricochet and WWE SmackDown Superstar Carmelo Hayes regarding the timeline for wrestling success. The interaction began after Hayes posted a highlight clip from his recent match with Gunther.
Hayes captioned the video, “Been a Dawg long before I was an Underdog,” highlighting his performance against the dominant champion.
Ricochet responded to the post with a comment regarding Hayes’ career trajectory. “15 more years and you’ll be main eventing WrestleMania! Go get em!” Ricochet wrote.
Hayes responded to the comment with a remark targeting Ricochet’s physical appearance. “And I’ll still have all my hair,” Hayes wrote.
Ricochet responded to the comeback by posting a GIF of comedian Kevin Hart saying “damn.”
Context: The Mark Henry Reference
Ricochet’s specific reference to a “15-year” timeline is a direct allusion to recent comments made by WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry regarding the development of young talent.
Henry recently discussed the career trajectory of NXT wrestler Je’Von Evans. During his analysis, Henry suggested that there should be no rush to push Evans to the top of the card immediately because of his young age. Henry remarked that Evans would be in his “championship area” in approximately 15 years.
The comments from Henry generated discussion within the wrestling industry regarding how promotions handle the pacing of a wrestler’s career. Ricochet’s tweet to Hayes appears to satirize this philosophy, implying that waiting 15 years to reach the main event level is an excessively long timeline for established talent. By applying Henry’s logic to Hayes, Ricochet mocked the idea that a wrestler of Hayes’ caliber should wait a decade and a half to reach the pinnacle of the industry.
Carmelo Hayes’ Main Roster Trajectory
The context of the “15 years” comment also touches upon Carmelo Hayes’ current standing within WWE. Hayes has been a member of the WWE main roster for approximately 18 months. Despite being on the roster for a year and a half, he has yet to headline a Premium Live Event.
This main roster run stands in contrast to Hayes’ tenure in NXT. During his time in the developmental brand, Hayes was a central figure and a consistently featured main event talent. He held the NXT Championship and the NXT North American Championship, often closing shows and driving storylines.
Since transitioning to SmackDown, Hayes has been utilized primarily as a mid-card talent. While he has had competitive matches against top stars like Cody Rhodes and Andrade, he has not yet been positioned in the world title picture or the main event of major shows. His tweet referring to himself as an “Underdog” acknowledges his current position on the card, where he is often fighting from underneath against larger or more established opponents like Gunther.
The Contrast in Career Paths
The exchange highlights the different career paths experienced by wrestlers moving from NXT to the main roster. Ricochet, who spent several years in WWE before departing for AEW in 2024, experienced a similar trajectory. Like Hayes, Ricochet was a featured performer in NXT and held the North American Championship. Upon moving to the main roster, he held mid-card titles such as the United States Championship and Intercontinental Championship but did not consistently main event WrestleMania or hold a world title.
Ricochet’s departure from WWE and subsequent signing with AEW was partly attributed to a desire for different creative opportunities. Ricochet is now the first AEW National Champion, a title he won at Full Gear.
Mark Henry’s Philosophy vs. Modern Wrestling
The debate sparked by Mark Henry’s comments—and amplified by Ricochet’s joke—centers on the lifespan of a wrestler’s career. In previous eras, wrestlers often spent a decade or more in various territories before reaching a national main event level.
However, modern wrestling often sees younger talents pushed more quickly. Examples include Brock Lesnar, who won the WWE Championship at age 25, and Randy Orton, who won the World Heavyweight Championship at age 24. Those are exceptions to the rule. Je’Von Evans is currently 21 years old and many fans believe he’s ready to be feature weekly on Raw or SmackDown. Under Mark Henry’s proposed timeline, Evans would not reach his championship prime until he was 35.
15 more years and youll be main eventing WrestleMania! Go get em!
— Lightskin Kingpin (@KingRicochet) November 30, 2025
— Lightskin Kingpin (@KingRicochet) November 30, 2025
