Backstage Update on Powerhouse Hobbs Leaving AEW for WWE

As noted before, Powerhouse Hobbs’ contract expired on Thursday, January 15th and he is expected to be leaving AEW and joining WWE.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that WWE had pursed Hobbs “hard” in regards to wantng to sign him to their company once his AEW contract expired.

Meltzer reported that Hobbs’ move to WWE is a “gamble” for his wrestling career due to WWE currently has bigger people with bigger physique so his size might stand out less. Meltzer also reported that another potential issue for Hobbs is that success in WWE usually requires someone to either be great on the mic or being paired with someone like Paul Heyman.

While WWE is currently expected to make changes to Hobbs’ presentation for his arrival including a new ring name, Meltzer compared Hobbs’ transition to WWE to other notable former AEW talents. Meltzer reported that while Cody Rhodes, Penta, and “All Ego” Ethan Page have done better in WWE than they did in AEW as singles stars, Rey Fenix has not done better in WWE and the jury is still out on Blake Monroe who has yet to reach the same level she was at in AEW.

In regards to Hobbs’ decision to go to WWE, Meltzer speculated that it was probably the right move due to Hobbs’ older age and he can still start in WWE with “new excitement and new momentum” for his wrestling career.