Powerhouse Hobbs weighs in on how he thinks he can get to the next level in AEW.
As a member of Team Taz, Powerhouse Hobbs alongside FTW Champion Ricky Starks are currently involved in an on-screen rivalry with the duo of Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland. Their latest run-in occurred during Starks’ FTW Title defense against Jungle Boy.
Hobbs has been a part of Team Taz dating back to late 2020 and when he appeared on the Wrestling Perspective Podcast, he was asked what he thinks it will take for him to reach the next level in AEW and become world champion. Hobbs said the following:
There’s gonna be a point where I’m gonna have to step away on my own, you know? Who knows when that will happen. I just think that next step for me is — I think what’s gonna come up for me is I’m just gonna have to show a whole new kick ass different style. You know, you can tell I’m having fun in the ring and when I got someone in the hole and I’m kicking the sh*t out of ‘em so I mean, it’s just — I’m having fun so I just — I don’t know what that next step is gonna be. It’s just gonna happen.
As for present day, Hobbs is eyeing becoming AEW World Tag Team Champions alongside Ricky Starks. Other goals of Hobbs’ is to become TNT Champion and the first Black AEW World Champion.
The task right now is for Ricky Starks and I to beat the hell out of Jurassic Express and take those tag titles. That’s the goal right now. But eventually, I will be TNT Champion. Personal goal of mine is to be the first African-American AEW World Champion and any title I get — I know how to fight and I know what it’s like to starve and struggle and any title I get, it’s gonna be hell for anybody to take that away from me. But, I plan on being a big name, being around for a long time. That has always been my goal, ever since I wanted to become a professional wrestler. I want people to remember me and when they say, ‘Oh, who’s the baddest m.f.?’ And I want my name to come up.
It is on record that the late ‘Hacksaw’ Butch Reed was a fan of Powerhouse Hobbs. The AEW talent has spoken in the past about Butch’s influence and his appreciation of Reed.
Hobbs said he has mentioned to Tony Khan that if the opportunity ever presented itself, he would love to don the ‘Hacksaw’ nickname.
The fact that he [Butch Reed] said he was a massive fan, that meant so much to me and I actually found out he passed away when I was in the Dallas airport. His son sent me a heartfelt message. His dad was unable to speak, but when he saw me and my in-ring work, he smiled so that’s something I will always hold dear to my heart and if I ever have the opportunity to carry on the ‘Hacksaw’ name, I’ll do that 100 percent. That’s one of my goals.
I’ve mentioned to Tony [Khan] a few times, if the opportunity comes up to become ‘Hacksaw’, you know, well it’s something possibly that can happen.
Hobbs and Starks scored a win over Keith Lee and Swerve on an April edition of AEW Dynamite. To hear POST Wrestling’s recap of the most recent episode of the program, head over to this link.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit the Wrestling Perspective Podcast with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
