WWE Criticized For Booking Of Royce Keys
Royce Keys hasn’t done anything significant in WWE since his debut in the Men’s Royal Rumble match.
The former AEW wrestler Powerhouse Hobbs made his shocking WWE debut at the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After some new music, the name Powerhouse Hobbs appeared on the video screen, and then his new moniker, Royce Keys, was unveiled. That will be his WWE name moving forward.
In the Men’s Royal Rumble match, Keys faced several big names in the company. He eliminated former World Champion Damian Priest and lasted 9:55 before being eliminated by Bronson Reed.
Since then, Keys has had dark match wins over Nathan Frazer and Chris Sabin, but he hasn’t appeared on television in the three weeks since his Rumble match debut.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer criticized WWE for not following up on using Keys.
“I don’t have a good reason. You know what? I’ll ask tomorrow night after the show, see if I can find anything out on that, but I have pointed it out that it is kind of weird. You know, the Rumble was weeks ago now and after the Rumble he should have been on TV somewhere.
He should have been on the next week and as far as like why not? I mean, I have theories but the reality is I don’t know and it doesn’t really make a lot of sense.”
As he continued, Meltzer questioned why WWE had decided to put Keys in the Royal Rumble, since that night was also Oba Femi’s main roster debut.
“Why was he in the Rumble then? Because in the Rumble, instead of being this big spotlight debut in the Rumble, it was Oba Femi’s night, and he was just there.” (H/T WrestlingInc)
Royce Keys Is Where He Wants To Be In WWE
While Royce Keys hasn’t officially appeared on Raw or SmackDown as a WWE talent, he did a long interview on WWE Hall of Famer Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, where he made it clear that going to WWE was always his plan.
“To think that I’m making my dreams come true. I tell people I’m not satisfied with this. I love it – it’s a great introduction. 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.”
The former AEW TNT Champion Keys also seemed pleased with his debut at the Royal Rumble.
“This is a hell of an introduction – better than what I imagined it was going to be. I knew it was going to be big, but it was even better than I thought. But this isn’t it. I’ve got so much more to give – so much more. I want to entertain even more.”
Regarding his WWE ring name, Royce Keys chose it because he has three kids, his middle son is named Royce, and his mother’s maiden name was Keys.