AEW must get Powerhouse Hobbs out of the faction cycle

Powerhouse Hobbs is a name that fans want to see get his chance to shine on his own, not in another faction for an extended run. 

All Elite Wrestling has several top stars on the roster, and it’s understandable how it can be “difficult” to find time for everyone on television. Who gets the most television time is a discussion for another day. But one individual that many believe should get more opportunity on screen is Powerhouse Hobbs. That may seem like an odd suggestion, as he’s once again thrust into a faction, but that is the whole point. Hobbs needs a presentation that allows him to stand as a monster heel on his own.

Since joining AEW in July 2020, Will Hobbs has been a part of three different factions. First, it was Team Taz, then Q TV, and now the Don Callis Family. Factions are usually a great way to help build individuals into bigger stars. There are several examples of such. Just look at Jey Uso’s emergence coming out of The Bloodline. But the situation with Hobbs in AEW feels slightly different, almost like the promotion doesn’t know what to do with the 32-year-old wrestler.

In the brief moments, it looked like Hobbs was set up for a singles push, the momentum was cut right out from under him. His TNT Championship lasted 42 days without any real substance. He picked up the championship on Dynamite just to drop it back to Wardlow on another episode of the show, never getting an opportunity to perform on a PPV as a champion. In fact, he rarely gets the opportunity to show up on a PPV. According to Cagematch, Hobbs has eight AEW PPV matches under his belt in three years with the company. He’s picked up wins in just two of those.

Fans were excited to see him and Miro go at it on AEW All Out, with both men getting chants throughout the showcase. After taking that defeat, Hobbs hasn’t had a match on AEW television since. Neither has Miro for that matter. Hobbs’s upcoming match against Chris Jericho on AEW Dynamite will be the first time he’s been on the show since May.

When given the opportunity, Hobbs has shown he can deliver. Look back to his feud with Ricky Starks. The emotion and character development during that angle gave fans hope that he would be built as a big-time heel. That moment hasn’t come.

Slotting Hobbs into another faction puts him behind Konosuke Takeshita and even Sammy Guevara – two men that AEW has shown a strong intention of pushing to the moon. Imagine if Jericho beats Hobbs on Tuesday. What does that say about Hobbs’s place in the faction, let alone on the roster? As mentioned, putting singles performers into groups can create the space for them to rise, but Hobbs isn’t getting that same type of treatment. Instead, he’s booked as the silent muscle in the background, while the spotlight goes to other individuals.

It would be interesting to see Hobbs placed on Ring of Honor and make a run at Eddie Kingston. Kingston needs a legit challenger now that he is the ROH World Champion, imagine him having to fend off an onslaught from Hobbs. That would be a believable foe and fans could get behind him eventually defeating Kingston if necessary. Or what about putting him against Jon Moxley for the AEW International Championship? Presenting Hobbs as a solo force that isn’t afraid of taking on the Blackpool Combat Club would go a long way to raising his stature in the eyes of fans. There are so many opportunities that do not require forcing him into another group.

There are many names on the AEW roster that fans want to see more of each week. Powerhouse Hobbs is one of those men and that doesn’t mean forcing him into another faction.