Backstage Update On AEW Status Of Powerhouse Will Hobbs, WWE Prospects

Powerhouse Hobbs has been a name on the lips of many wrestling fans over the past week as it was revealed that he would be leaving AEW at the end of his contract and joining WWE. Hobbs' AEW contract expired immediately after the taping of the Maximum Carnage episode of "AEW Collision" on January 14, where Hobbs, Samoa Joe, and Katsuyori Shibata dropped the AEW World Trios Championships to Hangman Page and JetSpeed. 

In a new report from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, WWE sources believe that while Hobbs hasn't been officially revealed as a member of the WWE roster, people are operating on the belief that Hobbs is signed to the company. Many believed that he would be heading to WWE immediately after his AEW contract expired, but he has yet to appear backstage in WWE and has not been unveiled as a WWE Superstar, despite sources claiming that the move seems like a forgone conclusion. Hobbs could have actually showed his face on the January 16 episode of "WWE SmackDown," a show that aired the day before the Maximum Carnage edition of "Collision" which was taped to air on January 17, but that never ended up happening.

As for when and where Hobbs could make his first WWE appearance, sources from within the company expect the former AEW star to be in Saudi Arabia for the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event on January 31. However, it was not confirmed whether they expect Hobbs to be there to compete in the Rumble match itself, or to simply be revealed as the latest WWE signing. There is every chance that Hobbs won't be in Saudi Arabia as plans are always subject to change, and the fact that some fans are already speculating that he could follow other former AEW stars like Ricky Starks, Ethan Page, and Mariah May in "WWE NXT." Regardless of what happens in the next few weeks, it is a matter of when and not if in regards to Powerhouse Hobbs showing up in WWE.