Powerhouse Hobbs is reportedly WWE-bound following the expiration of his contract with All Elite Wrestling. According to a new report from Fightful Select, sources indicate that people within WWE believe Hobbs has signed with the company, though there is no official confirmation yet.
Hobbs officially became a free agent on January 16 after his AEW contract expired. While he has not yet been spotted backstage at any WWE events, the company has reportedly held a long-standing interest in him. Fightful Select noted that “WWE was looking to [acquire his services] in recent months, but WWE has actually maintained interest for years in Hobbs.”
Speculation about Hobbs’ debut increased ahead of the recent SmackDown taping in London, but reports confirmed he was not scheduled to be at the show. Sources told Fightful Select that “realistically, WWE could have flown him in… but that didn’t happen.” Despite his absence, the expectation remains that he will join the promotion.
The timing of his move aligns with the upcoming Royal Rumble event. Hobbs is expected to be present during the Royal Rumble weekend, although specific creative plans for him remain unconfirmed. The 2026 Royal Rumble is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 31, at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hobbs’ final appearance for AEW aired on the January 17 episode of Collision, titled “Maximum Carnage.” In his last match, he lost the AEW World Trios Championship alongside Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata (The Opps) to “Hangman” Adam Page and JetSpeed (Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey). Knight pinned Hobbs to secure the titles for his team.
Hobbs, a former TNT Champion, originally joined AEW in 2020 and became a prominent figure in the promotion. He has yet to comment on his release.
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