Powerhouse Hobbs is officially a free agent following the expiration of his contract with All Elite Wrestling. According to a report from Fightful Select, Hobbs’ deal with AEW expired at midnight on January 15, making him eligible to sign and appear for any promotion immediately. Despite this, fans should not expect to see him on WWE television right away.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports that Hobbs was not scheduled to travel to London, England, for tonight’s episode of SmackDown at the OVO Arena Wembley. Sources indicated that he was not slated to be backstage, and while a last-minute flight was theoretically possible, it did not happen. “Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp was told that Hobbs was not scheduled to travel to Europe to the site of WWE Smackdown this week. He also wasn’t slated to be backstage today, either.”
While he won’t be in London, the expectation remains that Hobbs will eventually land in WWE. The report states that Hobbs is expected to sign with the company if he hasn’t done so already. WWE has reportedly held interest in the powerhouse competitor for years, dating back to previous recruitment efforts.
Although his contract has expired, Hobbs still has one final appearance scheduled for AEW programming. His last match for the company was taped previously and is set to air on Collision this Saturday, January 17. In that match, he is expected to drop the Trios Titles, tying up his loose ends with the promotion.
With no non-compete clause hindering him, the timing of his WWE debut seems to be a matter of creative logistics rather than contractual legality. However, for those hoping for a surprise appearance in the UK tonight, it appears highly unlikely unless it takes the form of a pre-taped vignette.
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