This is the busted open podcast. You can listen to the full show Monday through Saturday

from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern on serious XM fight nation channel 156.

Welcome to the busted open podcast. This is Dave LaGrecca. On today's episode,

WWE Hall Famer, TNA Hall Famer, and one of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time,

Bull Ray and I talk about your new NXT North American Champion. That's right.

Carmelo Hayes joins us right here for a first time ever on busted open.

And return guests newly to impact wrestling. You're going to see them at Bound for Glory.

The inspiration, that's right. Jessica McKay Cassie Lee right now on the Busted Open podcast.

Your new North American Champion. Carmelo Hayes. Carmelo, good morning to you.

Been a pretty crazy couple of weeks for you, huh? Absolutely.

Carmelo, you're the new North American Champion. Things are happening real fast for you

in NXT 2.0. How are you feeling right now? A lot of weight on your shoulders right now.

Were you taking this in stride?

You know, I'm taking it in stride, but this is something that I feel like I've been prepared for.

You know, when I signed the WWE, I kind of, you know, I had the mindset of, you know,

whatever comes I'm going to take the most. I'm going to make the most of it and take it.

You know, I had a conversation early on with Sean about how I wanted, you know, to be a top guy

eventually. And he pretty much was like, all right, we'll give you the ball. And you can

come with it and, you know, we'll get you where we need to get you.

You know, Carmelo, you talk about being a top guy. What is being a top guy in NXT and the WWE

mean to you? To me, I feel like it means you can do everything. You know, I feel like it means

you can, you can cut a promo. I feel like it means your work rate is high. I feel like it means

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