Royce Keys defeats 30-year-old star on his WWE SmackDown debut

Royce Keys made his long-awaited debut on SmackDown this week, which was a bit of over two months after his preliminary debut on the 2026 Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. On his debut, he crushed a 30-year-old former Champion.

No person knew why it took so lengthy for Keys to make his televised debut. With RAW getting The Ruler, Oba Femi, it solely made sense for Keys to make his manner over to SmackDown. When his debut stored getting delayed each single week, it was simply assumed by many who WWE did not have any artistic plans for him in place, and that he would possible be built-in into tv after WrestleMania 42 got here to an in depth. That made a variety of sense, which is why it was shocking that he was given the chance to debut just a bit over every week forward of WrestleMania 42. After all, he’s from the Bay Space, which is the place SmackDown was, and that is maybe why he was given the chance.

Royce Keys confronted former AAA Tag Group Champion Berto fka Humberto Carrillo, and with relative ease, put him away to choose up his first official victory as a WWE famous person. Curiously sufficient, a narrative started for him after that.

We acquired to see a promo exhibiting the problem that Keys needed to face rising up in a neighborhood with medication and gang violence, and later backstage, he was approached by a “thug” in his personal proper, Solo Sikoa.

Sikoa advised Royce Keys fka Powerhouse Hobbs that he’s the one who runs SmackDown, and due to this fact, ought to Keys want any assist, he may come to him. Though not a member of the Anoa’i or Tongan household, it is fascinating that Sikoa has taken an curiosity in Keys. It’ll even be fascinating to see how issues play out for him on SmackDown.

Edited by Rohit Nath