Carmelo Hayes ends Melo Dont Miz partnership on SmackDown

Carmelo Hayes ended his partnership with The Miz on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, telling his longtime ally he was done and walking away during the Oct. 3 broadcast from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The split followed a backstage confrontation over last week’s loss that cost the duo a shot at the WWE Tag Team Championships.

Hayes and Miz, who had teamed since February under the name Melo Dont Miz, lost a number one contenders match to the Street Profits the previous week when The Miz was pinned and Hayes deliberately refrained from breaking up the pin. Miz confronted Hayes backstage about the decision, and Hayes told him he did not want to be trapped in the tag division. In postmatch footage released by WWE, Hayes said, "Three strikes. Youre out," then left Miz alone and walked away.

The defeat by the Street Profits means the Profits will receive the next opportunity to challenge the WWE Tag Team Champions, the Wyatt Sicks, although WWE has not announced when that title match will take place. The Wyatt Sicks had already defended and retained the championships against the Street Profits at Clash in Paris.

The split escalated later in the SmackDown broadcast...