WWE Star Fires Back At Fan Criticism, ‘Everybody’s Always Got Something To Say’

WWE

A WWE star has responded to constant criticism he’s received since his debut for the company that happened earlier this year.

During the 2026 Royal Rumble match, Royce Keys, formerly known as Powerhouse Hobbs in AEW, made his WWE debut.

Immediately, there was some criticism of the name change to Royce Keys, despite it having a personal family meaning.

Also, Keys wasn’t featured on WWE TV until several months after his debut, instead working untelevised dark matches, which drew some criticism as well, before it was revealed that Keys himself had actually requested to be integrated onto the roster that way.

In a new interview on with No-Contest Wrestling, Keys shared his thoughts on the criticism he receives, saying:

“I’m getting pushback every day. The thing about it, it used to bother me. But it can’t, because everybody’s always got something to say.

“If I don’t do ‘this’ a certain way, somebody’s gonna be mad. If I sneeze the wrong way, ‘He didn’t sneeze right.’ People always have something to say.

“I tell my kids, not everybody’s gonna like you. Not everybody’s meant to like you. You take everything negative someone has to say, and that’s their opinion, they’re entitled to that.

“You do have some people that wanna cross the line, and I can’t be that person who I used to be, you know what I’m saying? Because I’ve got a lot to lose, I’ve got a lot on the table.

“I just had Royce Keys day on July 23 in East Palo Alto, so I’ve got a whole city riding for me, I’ve got a whole city on my back. It’s not just about me, it’s about so many other people that I feel I’ve gotta take care of, that I wanna take care of.

“Me accepting that award and seeing people I grew up with, some people that I used to hang out with that were incarcerated, that are out and how they told me they’re proud of me. Sitting there looking at their kids, these little kids with these big eyes just looking at me, that’s the motivation I need.

“I won’t let them down, I won’t let my kids down, I won’t let my family down, so I’m running with the ball.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

Keys teams with Solo Sikoa and LA Knight at WWE SummerSlam this weekend against The Bloodline’s Jacob Fatu and The Usos.

Royce Keys Names His All-Time Dream WrestleMania Main Event Opponents

Elsewhere in the interview, Royce Keys named his all-time dream WrestleMania opponents as The Undertaker, Bobo Brazil, Dusty Rhodes, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Eddie Guerrero.

He explained:

“I’d definitely wanna go back and have a match with The Undertaker. I’m talking about Attitude Era Undertaker, maybe Ministry of Darkness Undertaker.

“Another one I’d wanna go back and have a match with would probably be Bobo Brazil. I would have loved to work him. Another one, I would love to work Dusty Rhodes.

“I would love to wrestle Triple H – I’m talking about when he had the song My Time. Used to hate him growing up. I turned on the video game and I’m tearing his ass up.

“I’ve got two I wanna say – one’s gonna be Stone Cold Steve Austin, and another one would probably have to be Eddie Guerrero.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

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