There was a time when Carmelo Hayes was the certified face of NXT, and arguably the top priority in WWE's developmental system.

On paper, it made sense, right? After working his way up the ranks, beating darn near every performer the brand had to offer and establishing himself as the next great do-it-all cruiserweight, Hayes unseated Bron Breakker during his all-time run as a babyface champion and was rightfully lauded for his efforts, getting cosigns from everyone from Cody Rhodes to Bobby Lashley, and even John Cena.

But what if I were to tell you that the age of “Him,” at least in NXT, may soon be coming to an end, as, after helping to “build NXT back up” during his run in developmental, the “A Champ” is starting to think about what's next for him on the main roster, specifically on either RAW or SmackDown, as he noted in an interview with PWInsider.

“I feel very satisfied with everything I've done in NXT. I feel like I've helped build the brand back up. I feel like I've been a cornerstone to the success of NXT 2.0. I feel very satisfied. I feel like I've accomplished everything there is to accomplish there. You know my relationships that I've built there, everything that I'm willing to give back if I need to get back in. The next step for me is whenever they're ready to let me go, I'm ready to take that next step.”

Could Hayes' match with Ilja Dragunov serve as his final match in NXT at the moment, with the Triple Crown NXT Champion following the Creed Brothers and Dragon Lee up to the main roster? Maybe yes, maybe no; Breakker has felt main roster bound for the last six months, and yet, he's scheduled to wrestle Robert Stone, of all people, at Halloween Havoc, so who knows? Still, eventually, Hayes is going to doing his work on RAW or SmackDown, and the WWE Universe will be better off for it, even if there will be a giant hole that needs to be filled in NXT.

Ilja Dragunov is ready for Carmelo Hayes, still wants a shot at Gunther.

Speaking of Carmelo Hayes' opponent at Halloween Havoc, Ilja Dragunov, the current top dog, “Mad Dragon,” and champion of NXT, the “Unbesiegbar” recently sat down for a conversation with TV Insider to discuss his forthcoming rubber match against “Him” and why he isn't nearly as concerned with the match as his opponent should be.

“I don't think anything feels different. Carmelo Hayes and I show how important the NXT Championship is to us. Carmelo wanted to build this dynasty for himself, but I was the person who fulfilled my destiny,” Ilja Dragunov told TV Insider. “It's now the reign of the ‘Mad Dragon.' Here he is trying to take the title off my hands. There is an aura and energy about this match even before it happens. I think this performance will be a unique and memorable performance

Is Dragunov on the money? You know, it's hard to argue with his point, as he's the champion, he has the most recent win, and, most crucially of all, he has the momentum heading into what just might be the final showdown of this current program. If Hayes can't come out on top this time, maybe it really is time for him to jump up to the main roster and test his mettle against a new collection of Superstars.

And hey, for good measure,  TV Insider asked Dragunov about his main roster aspirations and whether or not he'd like to rekindle his feud with Gunther, whom he has wrestled in incredible programs across the world.

“The number of things I've learned from Gunther are the things that made me the person I am today and make me the person I am in the future,” Dragunov said. “There is nobody in the entire business I've learned more from than him. Seeing people feel such a connection to the performances we delivered, it's inspirational and beautiful. We showed the audience who I am as a performer. It was the perfect underdog story of David versus Goliath. The ultimate underdog fighting no matter what versus the ‘Final Boss' Gunther. It's something people want to see 500 times more and are hooked. I think we are destined to see it again.”

Could Dragunov eventually make his way up to RAW in order to take a shot at Gunther, either as the Intercontinental Champion or down the road should he win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? Assuming the matchup is still on the table, it's hard to imagine a world where Paul “Triple H” Levesque doesn't go back to that well, as their last bout together is one of the highest-rated matches in WWE history.