Royce Keys is officially living the dream.
The former All Elite Wrestling standout—previously known as Powerhouse Hobbs—made his WWE debut during the Men’s Royal Rumble match at the 2026 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Following the event, WWE released a backstage video to its YouTube channel featuring Keys reflecting on the moment and the magnitude of his arrival.
“This is wild. This feels like something out of a movie,” Keys said. “Walking down that aisle, seeing the ring, the stage, the seats—it’s real. I never thought I’d be part of something this big. This is huge. This is leading to the granddaddy of them all, WrestleMania.”
Keys also spoke emotionally about Cody Rhodes, crediting Rhodes as a major source of support during one of the darkest periods of his life.
“He’ll probably get mad, but Cody doesn’t know how special he is to me,” Keys admitted. “He was there for me during the toughest time of my life—when my mom passed away. Seeing familiar faces here, it just made everything feel real. I’m home. I moved in. It was time to collect.”
Reflecting on his childhood love for wrestling, Keys described the surreal nature of stepping into the Royal Rumble on the global stage.
“Growing up, we used to have Royal Rumbles in the backyard and get in trouble for it,” he said. “Now I’m actually here. I get goosebumps just talking about it. Your dreams are right there—you just have to reach out and grab them.”
Keys also shared his mindset heading into this new chapter, emphasizing faith in timing and opportunity.
“I believe everything lines up the way it’s supposed to. I don’t like looking back or second-guessing life. Everything made sense for me to be here.”
Finally, Keys revealed that a brief conversation with Paul Levesque helped calm his nerves before stepping into the spotlight.
“I talked to Triple H earlier. The first thing he told me was that I’m here for a reason,” Keys said. “That definitely eased my nerves.”
Royce Keys’ Royal Rumble debut marked the beginning of a new chapter in WWE, and if his words are any indication, he’s only just getting started.
