Most of us were pleasantly surprised by this past Monday’s reveal of Carmelo Hayes as the newest member of 946, just as we were a couple Raws ago when Jaida Parker joined via attempted vehicular homicide.
But there were still questions about why Melo and Ms. Parker were chosen to join OTM’s Lucien Price and Bronco Nima in the group. Royce Keys didn’t exactly give us answers, but the big man did share more about 946, and specifically about Hayes, with The Takedown on SI:
“Melo’s always been my boy.
Before this even came up, before WWE. I know how he is. He’s just like a pit bull. He’s got a little Tyson in him that some people haven’t seen. The world got a taste of it [Monday] night, so it’s just one of those things that, you know, it’s like a pot of gumbo. You got all your ingredients and your seasoning it, and once it’s together, you know, it’s just a chef’s kiss.”
Rumor has it that Keys handpicked Melo for 946, so that answer works in and out kayfabe. He also said being in the group that’s currently menacing The Bloodline will allow us to see the former NXT and United States champion in a new light, just as it’s allowed him to show more than he did early in his WWE run, or in AEW as Powerhouse Hobbs:
“It’s gonna give him a different side. It’s given me a different side. It’s given Bronco, Lucien and Jaida, you know, everyone’s gonna see a different side of all of us.”
Keys didn’t talk as much about the addition of Parker, but Wikipedia will tell you about her 2024 run with OTM in NXT, so they’ll probably get around to emphasizing it on Raw. While talking about being grateful both for the spot 946 has been put in and the response they’ve been getting, he indicated that she was his choice as well:
“Just being featured on some of the heavy segments, you know, the trust and value, week after week, it means a lot. It definitely lets me know I’m doing the right thing. Everyone in The 946, Jaida, Lucien, Bronco, Melo now, we’re all doing the right things. We’re all on the same page and everyone in this group is handpicked.”
Can’t argue with the results so far.
How are you feeling about 946 with its new members, and their big program on WWE Raw? Talk about it in the comments below.
