• AEW reportedly made a much higher-than-expected contract offer to Powerhouse Hobbs to stay with the company.
  • Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer says the offer rivals deals given to top stars like Chris Jericho and Bryan Danielson.
  • Hobbs is set to sign with WWE under the name Royce Keys, with WWE filing a trademark on Jan. 20, 2026.
  • Hobbs had been with AEW since 2020 and is a former TNT Champion and World Trios Champion.

AEW countered with a major offer

Powerhouse Hobbs — the hard-hitting star who emerged in AEW in 2020 — reportedly received a “much higher than expected” contract offer from All Elite Wrestling as the company tried to keep him from signing with WWE. The report comes from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

How big was the offer?

Meltzer said the AEW offer would have been higher than early deals for top stars and compared the number to sizable moves in recent years. He noted the figure could exceed what Chris Jericho earned in AEW’s first year and sit in the range of what Bryan Danielson received when he jumped from WWE to AEW.

Context: comparisons to other top contracts

The Wrestling Observer analysis placed the offer above amounts paid to several well-known names earlier in AEW’s history. Meltzer suggested the deal would be more than what Kevin Owens or Sami Zayn were making four years ago and near the level of major stars such as Seth Rollins at comparable times.

WWE’s move: Royce Keys trademark

Despite AEW’s substantial offer, Hobbs is expected to join WWE under the ring name Royce Keys. WWE filed to trademark the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 20, 2026. The new name reportedly draws from Hobbs’ personal life — he has a son named Royce.

Career highlights and timeline

Hobbs, who turned 35 in late January 2026, signed with AEW in 2020. During his run he held the TNT Championship and the AEW World Trios Championship, cementing his reputation as a powerful singles and tag performer.

What this means for Hobbs and both promotions

If WWE matched AEW’s money, Meltzer wrote, it could “in theory” guarantee Hobbs a solid push — though he cautioned that WWE ultimately promotes stars who connect with the audience. For AEW, the size of the offer underscores how much the promotion valued Hobbs and its willingness to invest to retain key talent.

As contract details remain private, the wrestling community will watch how Hobbs — soon to be known as Royce Keys in WWE — is presented in his next chapter and whether financial terms translate into a major creative role.

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter (Dave Meltzer).

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