Powerhouse Hobbs reportedly could depart AEW for WWE very soon, with his current contract expected to expire at midnight on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The news follows reports that WWE officials have been “very high” on the talented athlete, viewing him as a priority acquisition for the new year.
Despite ongoing negotiations and a “substantial offer” from AEW to remain with the company, per Fightful Select, Hobbs has reportedly opted to test the free-agent waters and is expected to join WWE as early as this week.
Hobbs is scheduled to finish his AEW tenure during tonight’s post-Dynamite Collision taping. In his final match, he will team with his fellow AEW World Trios Champions, Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata—collectively known as The Opps—to defend their titles against “Hangman” Adam Page and JetSpeed.
This title defense marks the end of a dominant run for the trio, who have held the Trios Championship for nearly 300 days since winning it at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru in April 2025. Since his AEW debut in July 2020, Hobbs has been a consistent powerhouse on the roster.
In addition to his lengthy Trios Title reign, his resume includes a run as TNT Champion in 2023. While his departure marks a significant loss for AEW, sources indicate that Hobbs is leaving on good terms and is eager to begin the next chapter of his career in WWE.
As of this writing, it’s unclear whether WWE has plans for Hobbs to start in NXT, its developmental program, or go straight to the main roster. Should they opt to send him down in NXT, he may be used as an immediate top star, considering so many talents like Je’Von Evans and former NXT Champion Oba Femi have been called up to the main roster. Neither Hobbs nor WWE has yet to comment on the news.
