Tony Khan Breaks Silence on Powerhouse Hobbs Leaving AEW for WWE

TLDR

AEW President Tony Khan addressed Powerhouse Hobbs' departure to WWE during a February 4, 2026 interview, stating that Hobbs "had a great run here in AEW" and became both TNT Champion and World Trios Champion before wishing him well. According to Dave Meltzer, AEW offered Hobbs a five-year deal that would have paid him more than almost every AEW original from 2019 except Chris Jericho, with the salary being comparable to what Bryan Danielson received to jump from WWE to AEW. Hobbs, who now performs as Royce Keys in WWE and debuted as entrant #14 in the January 2026 Royal Rumble, ultimately turned down AEW's offer despite the significant financial package.