Powerhouse Hobbs Expected To Leave AEW For WWE As Contract Expires

The roster movement between the two top wrestling promotions continues to heat up. Just hours before Dynamite: Maximum Carnage goes live, a major report has surfaced indicating that Powerhouse Hobbs is on his way out of All Elite Wrestling. According to Fightful Select, the former TNT Champion is expected to depart the company when his contract officially expires this Wednesday at midnight, with a move to WWE likely imminent.

WWE Interest and Rejected Offers

The writing has been on the wall for some time regarding Hobbs’ status. Days prior to this development, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE officials were “very high” on the powerhouse competitor. Despite this looming threat, AEW reportedly made a significant effort to keep him. Fightful Select notes that there were ongoing contract negotiations over the past few months, which included a “substantial offer” for Hobbs to remain All Elite.

However, the financial incentives were apparently not enough to sway his decision. The report states that Hobbs, who will soon turn 35, was determined to “test the free agent waters” and is leaving the company on good terms. Unless a drastic, last-minute change occurs, he is expected to sign with WWE as soon as he is contractually eligible, which could be as early as this week.

A Dominant Run Ends Tonight

Hobbs has been a cornerstone of AEW programming since his debut in July 2020. His tenure has been highlighted by a short but impactful run as TNT Champion in 2023, and more recently, a dominant reign as one-third of the AEW Trios Champions. Alongside Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata, Hobbs has held the titles for nearly 300 days, establishing the trio as one of the most formidable units in company history.

His final appearance for AEW is scheduled for tonight’s post-Dynamite taping of Collision. Fittingly, he will go out on his shield, defending the AEW Trios Championships alongside Joe and Shibata against the team of “Hangman” Adam Page and JetSpeed. With his departure all but confirmed, the outcome of this match seems inevitable, potentially ending one of the longest title reigns in the current AEW landscape.

High Stakes in Phoenix

The timing of Hobbs’ departure adds an extra layer of intrigue to tonight’s festivities at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. While the live broadcast of Dynamite: Maximum Carnage will focus on the return of Kenny Omega and the World Title bout between MJF and Bandido, the live crowd will witness the end of an era during the Collision taping. If Hobbs and his partners indeed drop the titles to Page and JetSpeed, it would mark a significant shift in the faction warfare that has dominated AEW, while simultaneously freeing up Hobbs to potentially make a shocking appearance at the Royal Rumble later this month.

Credit Source: Fightful Select. Thanks for checking out this article.