Royce Keys made an immediate impression during the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble, officially debuting with WWE as a surprise entrant in the men’s Royal Rumble match.
Formerly known as Powerhouse Hobbs during his time in AEW, Keys’ arrival quickly sparked discussion about his long-term role within the company.
According to sources who spoke with Bodyslam.net, Keys was backstage at WWE RAW on Monday. The expectation internally is that Keys will officially land on the WWE SmackDown roster moving forward.
Following Keys’ debut, former WWE Champion Big E spoke with Sam Roberts and shared his thoughts on seeing Keys step onto WWE’s biggest stage. “I got to see Royce Keys, the former Will Hobbs, before and after. He’s someone that I have known for a few years now and I’ve been such a big fan of. So to see him on this stage, get this opportunity, it’s something that he’s dreamed of for quite some time. So it was beautiful to see him there.”
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T also weighed in on Keys’ arrival during his podcast, expressing confidence that the powerhouse made the right move by signing with WWE. “He made the right choice. Making that walk in the Rumble – that right there is just the beginning for Royce. He’s getting ready to do some big things in the WWE. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to see how this kid’s positioned.”
With early praise coming from respected veterans and backstage momentum already building, Royce Keys appears poised for a significant role on SmackDown as WWE looks to capitalize on his Royal Rumble debut.
