Powerhouse Hobbs made his long awaited WWE debut at the Royal Rumble under the new ring name Royce Keys, but new details reveal that AEW made a major push to keep him before he left.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio and in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed that AEW President Tony Khan presented Hobbs with a substantial long term offer that far exceeded expectations and placed him among the highest earners in the company’s early history.

According to Meltzer, Hobbs was offered a five year deal to remain with AEW. While the exact terms of his WWE contract have not been disclosed, the AEW proposal was described as significantly higher than many would have anticipated.

“The offer was a very good offer. It was not a top 10 offer in the company or anything like that, but a good offer. I don’t really know much more, I don’t know what the WWE offer was,” Meltzer said. “He got a great AEW offer to stay but I don’t know his WWE offer. The AEW offer was much higher than I would have expected. It would have been a number that I believe would have been higher than anyone but Chris Jericho earned in AEW’s first year in 2019.”

Meltzer went on to compare the proposed deal to contracts held by established main event talent across both companies. He noted that the offer would have been in the same range as Bryan Danielson’s initial AEW deal and higher than what several top WWE stars were earning just a few years ago.

“It would be in line with what Bryan Danielson got to jump from WWE to AEW, maybe slightly less but in line,” Meltzer stated. “It would be more than guys the level Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were making four years ago, less than they are making now, and in the range of what a guy the level of Rollins were making around the same time and nearly triple of what many significantly high WWE stars were making in the first year or so of AEW after the first round of increases had taken place.”

Despite the money on the table, Hobbs appeared set on leaving. Meltzer noted that during negotiations it became clear Hobbs was ready for a new chapter. Within WWE, there was reportedly a strong belief that Hobbs would sign with the company as soon as he was legally able.

Now officially part of WWE, Hobbs is entering this next phase under a new identity. WWE recently filed to trademark the name Royce Keys, which is believed to hold personal meaning as Hobbs has a son named Royce.

Hobbs exits AEW as a former TNT Champion and World Trios Champion, closing the book on a run that began in 2020 and opening a new one on WWE’s biggest stage.

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