Powerhouse Hobbs Makes WWE Debut As Royce Keys At Royal Rumble

Posted By: Ben Kerin on Jan 31, 2026

Powerhouse Hobbs officially arrived on the WWE stage during the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble, debuting with a new name and presentation.

Speculation heading into the event proved accurate when Hobbs entered the Royal Rumble match as entrant number 14. As the countdown reached zero, the entrance graphics initially displayed his well known Powerhouse Hobbs name, drawing an immediate reaction from the crowd inside Riyadh Season Stadium. Commentary acknowledged the moment before the visuals shifted, confirming his new WWE ring name as Royce Keys.

Keys wasted no time making an impact. He stormed into the ring and quickly eliminated Damian Priest, establishing himself as a physical threat right out of the gate. Moments later, Keys came face to face with Cody Rhodes, a familiar rival from their previous time together in All Elite Wrestling, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the encounter.

Despite the strong start, Keys’ Royal Rumble appearance was relatively brief. Multiple competitors eventually swarmed the powerhouse, neutralizing his offense. Bronson Reed ultimately capitalized on the chaos, sending Keys over the top rope to end his night.

The debut came shortly after Hobbs’ departure from AEW, where his contract expired last week. His final appearance for the company saw him compete in a six man tag team match on Collision alongside Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata. The trio dropped their titles to Hangman Page and JetSpeed in that outing.

Although Hobbs was said to have received a significant offer to remain in AEW, he opted for a new chapter. That decision led to his WWE debut under the Royce Keys name, marking a major moment in the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble.