The WWE roster could be getting a huge addition after a major All Elite Wrestling star decided to leave the company.
Since AEW formed in 2019, fans have become accustomed to wrestlers jumping ship and moving between the two promotions, with the likes of Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill and Ethan Page going one way, while Bryan Danielson, Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland, Toni Storm and more have gone the other.
During last night’s Collision taping, it’s reported that Powerhouse Hobbs has wrapped up his work for AEW with his contract expiring just hours ago.
According to Fightful Select, contract negotiations were ‘ongoing’ between the two parties, and Tony Khan’s promotion made a ‘substantial offer’ to stay with the company.
Despite a ‘huge’ contract on the table following months of talks, the 34-year-old heavyweight is said to have decided to ‘test the waters’ and is now primed to make the jump to WWE.
Sources within the sports entertainment giant told the outlet that he’s ‘expected to join’, and is available to do so ‘as of this week’, while the promotion has ‘maintained interest in him for quite some time’.
Fans are already buzzing at the prospect of Hobbs switching sides, as they look forward to seeing him ‘bringing his own damn power grid’ and realising his potential.
‘From hitting a perceived ceiling to potentially blowing the roof off. That look is money. Bet,’ wrote @Ruchithxb on X.
Meanwhile, others insisted he will he ‘a huge get for WWE’, as he possess the look, size and ‘all the tools to be a star’, with fans pointing out his ‘low key charisma’ that adds to the character.
‘With WWE’s machine behind him, the sky is the limit,’ predicted @ChandranTheMan.
It’s not the first time Hobbs has attracted interest from WWE, with rumours to that effect a few months ago, although it’s said no contact had been made at that stage.
A couple of years ago – when Dan Ventrelle was leading WWE’s talent relations – there was interest in bringing Hobbs on board, although he ended up staying with AEW at the time.
In All Elite Wrestling, he’s a former TNT Champion, and currently holds the AEW World Trios Titles alongside F
On last night’s Collision taping, which will air this weekend, the team will defend the gold against Adam Page, Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey, where they are set to drop the gold.
Thankfully for AEW, their own roster was given a boost during Dynamite as all four members of now-former TNA Wrestling group the Rascalz made the jump.
In what is a major blow to TNA ahead of tonight’s debut on AMC, the quartet of Myron Reed, Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel have all signed elsewhere on multi-year deals.
According to Fightful Select, TNA – who have been bolstered by the ongoing partnership with WWE – tried to keep hold of the team, but ‘AEW came with a better offer’.
It’s noted that Reed and Xavier had been working without contracts, while Miguel and Wentz’s TNA deals expired at the end of the year.
WWE Raw, SmackDown and NXT, plus monthly PLEs, air in the UK on Netflix.
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