The forbidden door is the most open it has ever been. Earlier this month at NJPW Windy City Riot, Jon Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito to capture the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, becoming the first active AEW star to hold New Japan Pro Wrestling’s top prize. During the AEW Dynasty media call, AEW President Tony Khan told ComicBook.com’s Liam Crowley that Moxley’s title defenses on AEW programming are a mutual decision between himself and NJPW’s matchmaker Gedo. Khan and Gedo came to an agreement this past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite when Moxley competed in his first IWGP World Heavyweight Title defense against AEW’s Powerhouse Hobbs.
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Powerhouse Hobbs Suffers Knee Injury During IWGP Title Match
That title match was not without its consequences.
As reported by Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, Powerhouse Hobbs suffered a legitimate knee injury during his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match against titleholder Jon Moxley. Hobbs reportedly suffered the injury while he was going for a high cross and smashed into the turnbuckle. This forced the match to wrap quicker than planned, as Hobbs and Moxley had mapped out a longer contest. It’s unclear as to how long his recovery will be. It’s worth noting that Hobbs was favoring his knee towards the end of the match and was spotted limping to the back after the bell.
Hobbs joins a lengthy AEW injured list that includes the following…
- Adam Cole
- Bandido
- The Blade
- Danhausen
- Britt Baker
- CJ Perry
- Darby Allin
- Jamie Hayter
- Jeff Hardy
- Juice Robinson
- Keith Lee
- Kenny Omega
- Kota Ibushi
- Mark Davis
- Marq Quen
- Miro
- Maxwell Jacob Friedman
- Ortiz
- Penelope Ford
- Rey Fenix
- Scorpio Sky
- Wheeler Yuta
Hobbs has been with AEW since 2020. He began by competing on AEW Dark before joining the company’s televised roster, aligning with Team Taz. Hobbs found success in the group, namely in a tag team with Ricky Starks. The duo competed together throughout 2021.
After Team Taz disbanded, Hobbs pursued a singles career, receiving most of his acclaim during his heavyweight battles against Samoa Joe and Wardlow. He would briefly capture the AEW TNT Championship but lost it back to Wardlow after just a 42-day reign. Hobbs is currently aligned with The Don Callis Family alongside Kyle Fletcher and Will Ospreay.
Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on Powerhouse Hobbs’s injury, recovery, and future in AEW.
