After only a few years in the industry, the top talent Christian Casanova went from being on the cusp of breaking out to becoming HIM, Carmelo Hayes.
From Framingham, Massachusetts, USA, Hayes had initially been active on the New England area’s independent scene. However, as the years have passed, Hayes’s popularity has risen as well.
His success in various promotions is an example of just how much he’s grown and developed upon getting his career right off the bat needed to find an outlet an in need of a character. The King of Pop initially inspired his first character.
Carmelo Hayes – The Meteoric Rise of A Top Talent
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“It was more like; I needed a character. I needed something to attach myself to. When you’re so new, you really have no identity.
I was 19-years-old, so I didn’t even know who I was as a person.” … “It was something that I was, I’m gonna get my feet wet with this little gimmick for awhile, until I figure out who I want to be and who I am.
After awhile I started getting really deep into it – like I was knees deep into that sh*t.
The problem is that I wanted to be a serious competitive wrestler, I did not want to be the hokey-pokey gimmick guy at all.
I just really wanted to be taking serious, and eventually I ended up turning heel at Chaotic Wrestling, and that’s where I brought the whole ‘Top Talent’ persona in.
Everything after that just started clicking, and now it’s just me. For awhile it was a persona, and being cocky and flashy, and now I know who I am so it’s easier to just be the Top Talent. I am what I say.”
Christian Casanova (Carmelo Hayes) on the emergence of his Michael Jackson character.
It wasn’t meant to last, and because of such, was an in-between Casanova at the beginning and where he was hoping to be.
Hayes’s first recorded match was a loss to Mikey Webb on April 12th, 2014. The match was during Chaotic Wrestling’s Cold Fury Fallout Tour in Littleton, Massachusetts. From there, Hayes would compete in Rhode Island and Maine.
As opportunities presented themselves, Hayes would take advantage of them. It is less about where they are placed on the card for any young wrestler and simply being able to compete, and Hayes did that.
He was young and hungry. Hayes was ‘The Kid’ who wanted to succeed, and he did succeed. It wasn’t about wins and losses, but getting over in a match would soon happen.
During Power League Wrestling’s Great Outdoors 2014 tour, Hayes, along with Brad Hollister, won when they defeated Marshall McNeil & Chris Students. It took place on July 19th, 2014.
The following month, Hayes picked up his first singles win competing for IWE when he defeated Johnny Craig. Growth in the industry is never resting on your laurels so, with increased notoriety and exposure, the first step would be championship success.
On June 19th, 2015, at Northeast Championship Wrestling’s Aftermath event, Hayes defeated Tripleicious for the NCW New England Title.
While in his home state of Massachusetts, Hayes walked away with his first championship win. While the title reign was short-lived, it wasn’t in vain, and the reign was as much about exposure and recognition as it was anything else.
Top Talent Christian Casanova
As strong as Hayes is a singles competitor, it was working with others that made him who he is today. The formation of Friday Night Heat alongside Ella Markopolous, Hayes (as Christian Casanova), and Markopolous achieved championship success in capturing the Lucky Pro Wrestling’s tag team titles.
At LPW’s Fall Frenzy 2017 event, Markopoulous and Casanova defeated the duo of The Aristocrats. Markopoulous wouldn’t be Casanova’s only tag team partner. He would lead a faction known simply as Killanova Inc. with Trigga The OG, Ken Broadway, & Royce Bishop.
Hayes would also team with Broadway and Triggla The OG (later known as Triplicious) under the helm of different team names.
‘Cashflow Killanova’ was the name of Christian Casanova and Ken Broadway’s tandem. While Casanova would work alongside others and led groups, he could also work within a faction.
Led by Cam Zagami, ‘Club Cam’ included Casanova MLW’s Richard Holiday, Kenn Doane (formerly of The Spirit Squad) & Thomas Sharp.
However, for all the work Hayes did working alongside others, it was his work individually that is most heralded. One of the most exceptional demonstrations of Hayes’s work were the tournament achievements he has won or competed in.
Throughout his career, Hayes took part in as many as thirteen tournaments. Over two nights, Hayes made it to the Chase For The Gold Tournament for Chaotic Wrestling and the 2018 Vacationland Cup for Limitless Wrestling.
It wasn’t until Beyond Wrestling’s Pride of New England Tournament For Tomorrow that Hayes had arrived. Hayes defeated an eight-man field over three weeks of Beyond Wrestling’s Unchartered Territory program.
‘Top Talent’ Christian Casanova defeated Richard Holiday in the tournament final. This was after defeating Alec Price and Ken Doanne the weeks before.
“I think it means even more to me, based on the fact that I had been on the very first Limitless show.
Before Limitless was really even anything, or had any of the hype or buzz that it does right now.
Being from New England, a mainstay for the longest time, I think winning that championship just means – started from the bottom, in a way.
The true culmination in starting from the bottom and getting all the way to the top.
I was a Michael Jackson impersonator at one point, and I just climbed the ranks little by little by little. Who better than me?”
“This is also my third Vacationland Cup. So it’s like, you better getting it right now, or never again.
I think I’ve got more to lose than a lot of these guys, because I don’t see myself getting other opportunities again.”
Christian Casanova’s (Carmelo Hayes) thoughts going into the Vacationland Cup
What did 2021 and beyond have in store for then Limitless, Liberty States Heavyweight, Chaotic, and Northeast Wrestling Champion for ‘Top Talent’ Christian Casanova?
It became the emergence of Carmelo Hayes a former NXT North American and NXT Champion, with his sights set on making an impact in the WWE for years to come. Will that happen? Only time will tell.
