When Royce Keys made a surprise appearance at the 2026 Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, it was a huge moment for him. But for the former AEW star (then known as Powerhouse Hobbs), that night was just the beginning of something bigger.
Keys quickly made an impression by eliminating Damian Priest at the Royal Rumble. Even though he hasn’t shown up on weekly TV yet, he did wrestle Nathan Frazer in a dark match before a February episode of SmackDown. It’s clear WWE is already working him into the mix.
Royce Keys Shares Long-Term Vision Beyond Wrestling
In a recent interview on What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon, Keys talked about how he felt after his debut. While some people might see the Royal Rumble as the biggest moment of their career, Keys sees it as just the beginning.
He expressed his pride in having the opportunity to live out his dream. However, he emphasized that he isn’t satisfied yet. He called the Rumble a great introduction, but not the end goal. He wants his name to be forged among the legends.
Talking about his vision for after his WWE in-ring career, Keys said that he wants to build something long-term in WWE and stay until he decides it’s time to step away. After that, he would even like to help the company in another role, possibly backstage.
“To think that I’m making my dreams come true. I tell people I’m not satisfied with this. It’s a great introduction, I love it. But I plan on rewriting things, being here until I say, ‘You know what, I think I want to step away.’ I want to help this company in a different way, whether that’s backstage or whatever. I have goals and plans that I’ve written out,” Keys said.
WWE has a history of keeping former stars involved as producers, trainers, and creative team members. Keys seems interested in following that same path when his in-ring career is over.
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