• Triple H “Very High” On AEW Champ
As 2026 begins, WWE is reportedly keeping a very close watch on one of AEW’s most dominant forces. According to the Wrestling Observer, high-ranking officials in WWE are “very high” on Powerhouse Hobbs, viewing him as a standout talent whose physical style would be a perfect fit for their main roster.
While Hobbs is currently a cornerstone of Tony Khan’s promotion, his contract is expected to expire sometime in 2026, making him a top name on WWE’s internal free-agent watchlist.
This isn’t the first time WWE has shown interest in the super-heavyweight star. Back in 2020, following his impressive debut performances on AEW Dark, WWE reportedly reached out to Hobbs, only to be rebuffed as he chose to sign a full-time deal with All Elite Wrestling.
Since then, Hobbs has enjoyed a meteoric rise, moving from Team Taz to a solo run as TNT Champion. Most recently, he has found massive success as a member of The Opps, a dominant faction led by Samoa Joe.
The trio captured the AEW World Trios Championship in 2025 and has held the titles for over 270 days, setting a new record for the longest reign in the championship’s history.
Despite his current status as a champion, the allure of a WWE run remains a major talking point. Whether Hobbs decides to stay with the promotion that gave him his start or seeks a new challenge under Triple H’s creative direction is set to be one of the biggest stories of the 2026 wrestling season.
• Surprising Reason For SmackDown Wrestler’s Absence
The “Emperor of Lucha Libre” has been a ghost on WWE television for months. SmackDown wrestler Santos Escobar, who has not competed in a televised match since the summer of 2025, was once a hot topic in the free-agency market. After his initial contract expired in early October, Escobar was briefly moved to the “Alumni” section of the WWE website, leading to heavy speculation that he was destined for AEW.
However, in a last-minute reversal, WWE secured Escobar with a “big money” deal, reportedly a sizeably larger paycheck than previous offers, after addressing his creative concerns. Despite this financial commitment and reports placing him backstage at Monday Night RAW in late October, Escobar has yet to resurface.
According to the Wrestling Observer, the former Cruiserweight Champion’s return simply “fell through the cracks” in the shuffle of recent roster moves and creative transitions.
While Escobar has been “waiting patiently,” a sentiment he recently shared on social media, WWE is reportedly back in discussions to get his comeback “back on track.”
There were reports that WWE has plans to push Escobar in AAA, possibly booking him to win the AAA Mega Championship (currently held by Dominik Mysterio), but nothing has happened yet.
