Royce Keys made his first appearance as a WWE Superstar during the men’s Royal Rumble match at the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble PLE, marking a new chapter for the former AEW powerhouse previously known as Powerhouse Hobbs.

Keys entered the match as a physical standout and immediately looked comfortable on the big stage. His arrival was notable not only for the moment itself but for what it could signal long term, as WWE continues to reshape its roster with performers crossing over from other major promotions.

Speaking on the Duke Loves Rasslin podcast, former WWE producer D Von Dudley shared his thoughts on Keys’ upside now that he is officially part of WWE. Dudley revealed that he had worked with Keys in the past when he appeared as an extra and believes that the structure WWE offers could be exactly what he needs at this stage of his career.

“I believe that with the right structure, he’ll come along great. I had his matches when he used to come to WWE as an extra, and I worked with him and helped him. He’s always given me credit for that. And the great thing about it is now that he’s under WWE’s umbrella, he’ll be able to get that structure that he needs. He was very frustrated and very angry at times, I remember talking with him because he didn’t feel like he got that with AEW. And now that he’s in WWE, it might be a different story.

There are certain people that come from AEW and go to WWE that feel more content, and they feel like they’re in a place where they should be to learn what they need to do to take their careers to the next level. And he’s done that and he’s going to do that.”

Dudley’s comments suggest that Keys’ move to WWE could be less about a fresh start and more about finding the guidance and consistency he felt was missing elsewhere. With his size, presence, and now a renewed opportunity, Keys appears well positioned to carve out a meaningful role moving forward.