AEW reportedly offered Powerhouse Hobbs a “much higher” offer than expected to stay with the company

In January of 2026, it was reported that “Powerhouse” Will Hobbs has officially signed a contract with WWE after departing AEW. In an update on Hobbs leaving AEW, Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com noted the following…

“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.

It would be in line with what Bryan Danielson got to jump from WWE to AEW, maybe slightly less but in line. 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 [Seth] 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.”

Meltzer stated that if WWE offered Hobbs similar money, it would theoretically ensure a solid push, but emphasized that WWE ultimately pushes wrestlers who get over. Hobbs is expected to be using the name Royce Keys in WWE.