Powerhouse Hobbs, who began working for AEW in June of 2020 and signed with the company shortly after competing in a 21-Man Casino Battle Royale at the All Out PPV Event on September 5th, 2020, is one of the most agile and physically imposing big men not only in AEW, but in all of pro wrestling. Prior to working in All Elite Wrestling, Powerhouse used to work in the facilities department of Instagram and Facebook, which he talked about on a recent edition of the “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” podcast.
This is what Powerhouse Hobbs said:
“I was working at Facebook and Instagram.” “I was running their facilities department, so I was running about four different buildings.”
“Then I got a call saying that we are going to give you a month off with pay, and I’m cool with it. I can take my son Bam Bam to school and look after my other son Julian. I got home about 2:30, then got a call about 3:45 saying that they were going to terminate my contract.”
“I’m like, f**k, but everything happens for a reason. I’m glad that I got let go and I’m living my dream.”
Powerhouse Hobbs also talked about how his in-ring gear is a tribute to Harlem Heat.
This is what Powerhouse Hobbs said:
“Yeah, those were my dudes growing up.” “Just the intimidation factor and they talked like my grandparents did when I was growing up. Things like, ‘Neckbones, sucka;’ my grandpa said stuff to a tee.” “So those were my dudes growing up. Plus they look like me, so that was a good thing.”
Powerhouse Hobbs also talked about when he knew he wanted to be a pro wrestler.
This is what Powerhouse Hobbs said:
“I’ve always wanted to be a wrestler from when I was 5. That was all I ever cared about. I played football, basketball, and baseball, but wrestling was all that mattered.” “I remember going to a live show and being like, ‘OK, I know what school to go to’, which was APW, which was in Beyond The Mat.”
“So I saved up the money, pulled the trigger, and that was it. We had 23 people start and there were only 2 people at the end.”
Powerhouse Hobbs also talked about getting a phone call and text message from QT Marshall and showing up at Daily’s Place as well as how amazed he was when he got to the venue, especially due to the fact that everyone was really friendly to him that he did not mind losing to Orange Cassidy because all he wanted was to help out the show in any way he can.
This is what Powerhouse Hobbs said:
“I know a phone call got called in, and next thing I know, I got a text from QT Marshall.” “I looked at it, and I’m like, ‘This is bullsh*t.’ I sat on it for a little bit and I responded.”
“It was one of those things where I’m like, do I risk flying to Jacksonville and possibly get COVID, or do I say, ‘Thank you, when things open back up…’ I’m like, I’m a fool if I say no to this. I remember QT asking me if I was local to Jacksonville. I said, ‘No, but I will find a way to get there’.”
“When I got there, I was amazed at Daily’s Place. Everyone was friendly to me. I looked on the board and I got a match with Orange Cassidy. I’m like, cool. I’ve been following the program and he has a feud with Chris Jericho. Then 12.36 seconds later, I lost to Orange Cassidy, but I couldn’t care less if I won or lost. My main thing was, ‘How can I help out this show?’”
“I knew the pay-per-view was coming up with him and Jericho, and I knew it was going on the highlight reel because of my size and his size, and it was.”
Powerhouse Hobbs then talked about his breakout moment in AEW, which for him was the Battle Royal and the match on Saturday Night Dynamite with Darby Allin prior to the PPV.
This is what Powerhouse Hobbs said:
“I think it was the Battle Royal and that match on Saturday Night Dynamite with Darby (Allin) before the pay-per-view.” “I think the local people in California knew who I was, but Florida, like people who have seen AEW Dark, know who Will Hobbs was.”
“That Battle Royal was crazy because it was the anniversary of my brother’s death. I was in the Battle Royal and one of the last six. When I had this moment with Matt Sydal and that spinebuster and I had that moment with Archer, I’m like, ‘I should be here.’ It all took off after that.”
