Andrew Ravens
Despite a statement-making debut at the Royal Rumble in January, the immediate television future of Royce Keys remains shrouded in uncertainty. The former Powerhouse Hobbs, who made the jump to WWE after his AEW contract expired in mid-January, has not appeared on weekly programming since his performance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
During the latest episode of WrestleVotes Radio, it was revealed that while Keys has been present at recent television tapings—specifically backstage at the February 27 episode of Friday Night SmackDown—there is currently “nothing” in the works for him creatively. The report highlighted a lack of immediate ideas for integrating the newcomer into ongoing storylines as the company moves toward WrestleMania 42.
“Nothing. Big question mark. Absolutely nothing. You know, we had speculated that SmackDown was the place for him. It certainly does still seem like that’s going to be his home.”
Keys’ absence from the actual broadcast has led to growing frustration among fans who were impressed by his showing at the Royal Rumble. Entering at #14, Keys scored an elimination over former World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest before eventually being eliminated by Bronson Reed.
Internal reports previously suggested that a planned program between Keys and Priest was scrapped due to broader creative changes heading into the WrestleMania season.
While he has remained off-camera, Keys has been active behind the scenes. He recently appeared on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, where he discussed how Triple H kept his debut a secret by having him work out with bands and dumbbells in his hotel room rather than using public gyms.
Additionally, Keys has competed in dark matches, including a bout against Nathan Frazer prior to a recent SmackDown taping.
