AEW’s Missed Moment With Powerhouse Hobbs: Injury, Bad Timing, and the WWE Move That Changed Everything
Powerhouse Hobbs’ apparent jump from AEW to WWE didn’t happen overnight — and it wasn’t due to a lack of belief in his talent. According to new details from Wrestling Observer Radio, Hobbs’ AEW run was derailed by a brutal mix of injury, timing, and an overcrowded main event scene that left little room for error.
On the latest episode, Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer pulled back the curtain on why AEW never followed through with the kind of sustained push many fans expected for the powerhouse star. Alvarez explained that AEW’s loaded roster made it nearly impossible for everyone to rise at once, while Meltzer noted that Hobbs’ situation was especially unfortunate compared to most.
Before everything went sideways, AEW had big plans.
Hobbs was gaining serious momentum on television, including dominant moments against Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega — a clear signal that the company was preparing him for a higher spot on the card. Meltzer revealed that Jericho allowing himself to be decisively beaten by Hobbs was a rare move and showed just how much confidence AEW had in him at the time.
The plans didn’t stop there.
Hobbs was reportedly scheduled for an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match against Jon Moxley. While he wasn’t expected to win the title, the bout was designed to establish him as a legitimate top-tier threat. Then disaster struck. A knee injury halted his momentum, and once he was sidelined, AEW struggled to rebuild his creative direction.
There were ideas floated backstage, including a post-breakup feud with Samoa Joe that could have ended with Hobbs scoring a major win. But as time passed and contract uncertainty grew, those plans quietly disappeared. By the time Hobbs was healthy and ready again, the window for his big push had closed.
Meltzer also pointed to AEW’s increasingly crowded main event scene as a major factor. With names like Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, and Will Ospreay dominating the top of the card, opportunities for emerging powerhouses became even harder to find.
Now, with reports suggesting Hobbs has already signed with WWE, the conversation has shifted. Fans are no longer asking why AEW didn’t pull the trigger — they’re asking whether WWE will finally unlock the version of Powerhouse Hobbs that AEW never fully got the chance to showcase.
