Tony Khan Comments on Powerhouse Hobbs Leaving AEW – AEW President and CEO Tony Khan has commented on the recent departure of Powerhouse Hobbs from All Elite Wrestling and his subsequent move to WWE. Hobbs officially exited AEW last month, closing the chapter on a run that included reigns as AEW TNT Champion and AEW World Trios Champion.
Just days after leaving AEW, Hobbs made his WWE debut by entering the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble under the new ring name Royce Keys. His appearance immediately drew attention due to his recent championship status in AEW and the speed at which he transitioned to WWE programming.
While speaking with YoJoshMartinez, Khan reflected on Hobbs’ time in AEW and spoke positively about his contributions to the company. Khan emphasized Hobbs’ growth from his early days in the promotion to becoming a multiple-time champion.
“Well, I think Powerhouse Hobbs had a great run here in AEW,” Khan said. “He started wrestling here in Jacksonville, where I am now, and had some great matches and became a champion in AEW. We were just talking about the TNT Champion. He’s a former TNT Champion, former World Trios Champion in this run here. I’ll always wish him all the best.”
Hobbs’ final AEW match took place on the January 17 episode of AEW Collision. Teaming with Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata as The Opps, Hobbs unsuccessfully defended the AEW World Trios Championships. The trio’s title reign lasted over 270 days, marking one of the longer World Trios Championship runs in the promotion’s history.
At the Royal Rumble, Hobbs lasted just under ten minutes before being eliminated by Bronson Reed of The Vision. Despite his elimination, Hobbs made an impact by removing former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest from the match.
As of now, Hobbs’ immediate future within WWE remains unclear. There has been no confirmation regarding which brand he will join. If assigned to NXT, he would reunite with several former AEW talents, including Ricky Saints, Shawn Spears, and Ethan Page. Similar connections also exist on RAW and SmackDown, where multiple former AEW wrestlers are currently featured.
Tony Khan Comments on Powerhouse Hobbs Leaving AEW
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