Booker T believes Royce Keys made the absolute right move by signing with WWE. The powerhouse, formerly known as Powerhouse Hobbs during his time in AEW, officially debuted at the WWE Royal Rumble, entering the men’s Royal Rumble match under his new name and immediately making an impression.
Speaking on the Hall of Fame Podcast, Booker T was full of praise for Keys, viewing the move as both a fresh start and a major opportunity for the heavyweight to reach new heights in his career.
“Oh man, Will Hobbs, aka Royce Keys. He made the right choice, making that walk in the Rumble right there is just the beginning for Royce. He’s getting ready to do some big things in the WWE. I can’t wait.”
One aspect that stood out most to Booker T was WWE’s immediate confidence in Keys. Rather than sending him through NXT, the company debuted him directly on the main roster in one of the biggest matches of the year—something Booker believes speaks volumes.
“For them being WWE to trust Roy’s keys his first night to come out at the rumble and not NXT tells me a whole lot for them. To flash his name, Will Hobbs, you know, that told me a whole lot about what they think about where they’re getting ready to take, you know, Royce Keys. I can’t wait to see exactly, you know, what this thing ends up.”
Keys further validated that confidence with a strong performance in the match, including the elimination of former World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest. The booking choice only reinforced Booker T’s belief that WWE views Keys as a long-term player with significant upside.
Hall of Fame podcast co-host Brad Gilmore echoed that sentiment, noting the impact of Keys’ involvement in the match.
“I love that he was involved in the rumble,” Gilmore added. “And then I also Brock Lesnar had a nice little run in the rumble.”
With veteran voices already backing him and WWE placing him in high-profile situations out of the gate, Royce Keys’ Royal Rumble debut appears to be just the first step in what could become a major run on the main roster.
