Latest On Royce Keys’ WWE Status Amid Prolonged Absence

Royce Keys made his high-profile WWE debut at the Royal Rumble in January. He was one of the participants in the Men’s Royal Rumble match.

It has now been over a month since Keys made his debut, and he has yet to make his official main roster debut on weekly television. Earlier reports from WrestleVotes suggested that Keys was slated to join the SmackDown roster.

However, it was later reported that WWE did not yet have immediate creative plans in place for his television debut.

WrestleVotes: “Creative plans for Royce Keys? Nothing — absolutely nothing. SmackDown was going to be the place for him, and I know he was backstage last Friday night. There’s no clue when he’s showing up on TV.”

Why Hasn’t Royce Keys Maid His Main Roster Debut Yet?

According to a new report from PWInsider, Keys’ prolonged absence is not due to a lack of creative direction. Instead, WWE is currently helping him through the company’s acclimation process to familiarize him with its specific production style, something the promotion reportedly does with nearly all new hires.

Despite his absence from weekly programming, WWE has still been using Keys in dark matches. Over the past few weeks, he has competed in matches before SmackDown tapings, defeating stars such as Nathan Frazer, Chris Sabin, and Alex Shelley.

WWE is also working to keep him visible through media projects, including an interview on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon podcast.

It was also reported that some material has already been filmed for Royce Keys in WWE, but no additional details or a timeline for his next television appearance have been provided.

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