• What Triple H Said To Royce Keys Backstage At Royal Rumble 2026
Royce Keys (fka Powerhouse Hobbs in AEW) made his WWE debut at Royal Rumble 2026. WWE posted a behind the scenes video of his debut. Here’s what the former TNT Champion said:
“This is wild, like something out of a movie. This whole set up. Walking down this aisle, the ring, the background. It’s pretty amazing. I’m getting goosebumps under this sweatshirt. It feels real.
Looking at the ring, the stage set up, the seats, it’s real. Never thought I would be part of something this big. This is huge. Leading to the grand daddy of them all, WrestleMania. It starts tonight.
I’m a believer that things happen and the universe plays out everything. You don’t want to have any regrets. I personally don’t like looking back at things in life. I don’t like second guessing myself. ‘What if I had done this? Maybe I should have done that? What if?’ Everything lined up and made sense to be here.”
During the video, Triple H said the following to Keys:
“We’re going to get rolling and get some good sh*t started. We’ll be in a good place.”
Royce Keys entered the Men’s Royal Rumble match at #14 and lasted 10 minutes. He eliminated Damian Priest from the match. Here’s what Keys said about this:
“Eliminating a former World Champion. Ah, I’m here, I’m here, I’m here, I’m here. I’m going to take everything I want. Everything.”
Royce Keys' journey from a WWE Extra (Security) to a WWE Superstar 🔥 pic.twitter.com/So53tJveuX
— WrestleFeed (@WrestleFeedApp) February 3, 2026
• WWE Star Shocked By Ava’s Departure
While fans and analysts are busy trying to peel back the layers of Ava’s sudden departure from WWE, one person who was literally in the room didn’t see it coming. NXT commentator Booker T revealed on his Hall of Fame podcast that the General Manager’s exit was a total “out of the blue” shock to the locker room.
Despite his front-row seat to her development, Booker confirmed that there were zero rumors or backstage rumblings before Ava officially announced her decision to move on. “I left work last week and didn’t know anything about it,” Booker admitted. Booker T said this move was a stark reminder of the “here today, gone tomorrow” nature of the business, but even he was surprised by the lack of warning.
This blindside fits the emerging narrative that Ava’s exit was a deeply personal, last-minute choice. The Wrestling Observer has reinforced that this wasn’t a corporate release, as WWE had zero plans to let her go. Instead, the first fourth-generation wrestler simply decided she “didn’t want to do it anymore.”
While internet speculation has tried to link her departure to the quiet release of her girlfriend, WWE LFG talent Tatyanna Dumas, the lack of any warning to mentors like Booker suggests Ava’s decision was made quietly and firmly on her own terms.
Bodyslam revealed that WWE even offered more money to Ava, but she didn’t want to sign a new deal.
