Since Will Hobbs allowed his AEW contract to expire, he made a striking WWE debut at the Royal Rumble under the new name Royce Keys, chosen for personal reasons. However, despite initial expectations that Royce Keys would become a regular on WWE television, especially on the expanded three-hour SmackDown show, he has largely vanished from WWE programming since that appearance.
Royce Keys was widely anticipated to join SmackDown’s roster, but ongoing injuries among WWE’s top talent have caused the company to delay his full debut. With key figures like Seth Rollins sidelined due to injury and Bron Breakker undergoing hernia surgery, the WWE roster is in a state of uncertainty, leading to a pause in advancing Royce Keys’ storyline. WWE appears to be waiting for clearer positioning among top players before integrating Keys fully into the lineup.
Nevertheless, Royce Keys has not been overlooked entirely. Recently, he appeared on the WWE series What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon, where Hobbs shared an emotional account of his brother’s death, reflecting the depth behind his persona.
Possible WrestleMania Involvement for Royce Keys
Although his TV appearances have stalled, Royce Keys is still reportedly slated to join the SmackDown roster with plans to face Damien Priest at WrestleMania. His elimination of Damien Priest from the Royal Rumble was meant to ignite a rivalry that would lead into WrestleMania, signaling a significant push for the former FTW Champion.
The interruption caused by other injuries in WWE’s top tier does not appear to have directly altered plans for Royce Keys’ push; however, the broader uncertainty within the company has put his rise on hold for now.
WWE’s Shifting WrestleMania Card Amid Ticket Sale Concerns
WrestleMania 42, scheduled for its second year in Las Vegas, faces challenges as WWE struggles with low ticket sales, prompting flash sales at Allegiant Stadium to boost attendance. The event’s card remains unsettled, largely due to injuries affecting WWE’s main-event stars.
Initial plans featured a marquee match between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, but Rollins’ injury led to Reigns winning the Royal Rumble and challenging CM Punk instead. Rollins appeared on track for a WrestleMania comeback against Bron Breakker at The Showcase of the Immortals, but Breakker’s hernia worsened after a recent Raw incident, resulting in surgery that has cast doubt on his participation.
Meanwhile, a potential WWE Championship match involving Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre is under reconsideration. While there is interest in revisiting their rivalry, some believe that pairing has been overused, adding further unpredictability to the WrestleMania card.
These ongoing shifts and injuries help explain why Royce Keys has not yet secured a consistent presence on WWE television after his debut. WWE appears cautious about advancing his storyline amidst the current instability among its leading stars.
