Powerhouse Hobbs Removed From AEW Roster Page Following Collision Loss

It was a gamble by AEW President Tony Khan to air Hobbs' last appearance on tape delay, but he wasn't burned by it. While the belief is that Hobbs will end up in WWE, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported Friday afternoon that he was not being brought to London for SmackDown.

"Realistically, WWE could have flown him in [Thursday] to appear on the show [Friday], but that didn't happen," Ross Sapp said in his report. "Hobbs is expected to sign with WWE if he hasn't already. There are reports that WWE was looking to [acquire his services] in recent months, but WWE has actually maintained interest for years in Hobbs."

Powerhouse Hobbs is expected to undergo some changes upon his arrival in WWE. Much like his former AEW colleagues Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe, formerly known as Ricky Starks and Mariah May, Hobbs will reportedly go by a different in-ring name. Whether it's a subtle change like Ricky, or a complete overhaul like Blake/Mariah, that remains to be seen.

Will Hobbs head straight to the main roster?

The question of whether Powerhouse Hobbs will debut on NXT, Raw or SmackDown remains unanswered as well.

Sean Ross Sapp reported earlier this week that there's been at least one pitch for the former TNT Champion to start off on the main roster. Which is not an unprecedented move for a former AEW talent, as Jade Cargill, Penta and Rey Fenix all made that transition.

It also would not be out of bounds for Hobbs to make the move to NXT first. The men's division could certainly use him following the recent call-ups of Oba Femi, Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans. He could also step right into a main event program with his former tag team partner, and perhaps future two-time NXT Champion, Ricky Saints.

Chances are we won't have to wait long to find out the answers to these questions. We'll keep you posted on any additional information that becomes available.