As previously reported, AEW made an offer to the former Powerhouse Hobbs (Royce Keys) to remain with the company, but he opted to join WWE instead. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter has issued a correction regarding their earlier report and provided additional context. The previous report suggested that the offer made to Keys was "in line with what Bryan Danielson received to jump from WWE to AEW, maybe slightly less."
According to the latest information, sources indicate that the offer was not as close to Danielson's as originally stated, but it was still considered a strong offer, reportedly for a five-year deal. It was also noted that Keys had likely decided to go to WWE some time ago, with insiders at WWE expecting him to join for several months.
The report further mentions that, based on the booking, Dave Meltzer believes Tony Khan did not anticipate Keys' departure. Meltzer clarified that this opinion is based on the booking of JetSpeed being paired with Hangman Page to win the Trios Tag Team Titles and is not rooted in any confirmed information about Khan's thoughts.
Keys debuted in the Men's Royal Rumble at number 14, and WWE was reportedly very pleased with how his debut unfolded.
