The news has officially broken: Powerhouse Hobbs is on his way to WWE after his AEW contract expired on January 14, 2026, and now the big question is where hell land.
According to Fightful Select and Wrestlevotes Radio, WWEs plan for Hobbs includes an altered name and a likely main roster brand assignmentwith SmackDown expected to be his home.
Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful confirmed that WWE has been eyeing Hobbs for years, and with the absence of a non-compete clause, fans could see the powerhouse make his WWE debut sooner rather than later. Whats more intriguing is the expectation that Hobbs will be moved to the main roster, where hell likely join SmackDown rather than NXT, where some initially thought he might land.
As for his name, WWE is planning to change itthough its possible they might keep it simple and go with just Hobbs as his ring name. This decision is part of WWEs ongoing rebranding strategy for talent coming from AEW, and it adds to his future in the company.
The powerhouse is coming off an impressive run in AEW, where he held the TNT Championship and won the AEW Trios Championship as part of The Opps alongside Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata. With WWEs main roster needing fresh talent, Hobbs is a prime candidate for a major push when he makes his debut.
As the speculation continues, the next question is: will Hobbs make an immediate impact on SmackDown, or will WWE ease him into his new role? Only time will tell, but fans are already anticipating his arrival.
Are you excited to see Powerhouse Hobbs on SmackDown? What kind of role do you see him playing in WWE? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
