AEW star Powerhouse Hobbs has opened up about his incredible and “freakish” recovery from a ruptured patella tendon, an injury that was expected to keep him out of action for up to a year. In a new interview, Hobbs revealed that he was able to return to the ring in just six months, a timeline that even shocked his doctors.
The injury occurred in April 2024, during a match against Jon Moxley. The ruptured patella tendon is a serious injury that typically requires a lengthy and difficult rehabilitation process. The initial prognosis for Hobbs was that he would be on the shelf for eight to twelve months. However, the powerful star was determined to beat that timeline and get back to the ring as soon as possible.
Speaking with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Hobbs detailed his mindset during his recovery. “That’s me. What you see in the ring every week, that’s me to a large extension. Being down for six months with rupture patella, which was supposed to take eight to twelve months to heal. I’m a freak and a different beast,” he said. “I’m from the Bay. I knew once I came back that I had to amp things up and be different.” His comments reflect the intense and focused persona that fans have seen from him since his return to AEW programming.
Hobbs then shared a story about his doctor’s reaction to his rapid progress.“True story, you can ask our doctor Michael Sampson. When I first went to my second follow up after surgery, the doctor was like, ’You’re not supposed to be standing or doing any of this,” Hobbs recalled. “I had a gaol set in mind and I knew I was going to have surgery. I’m a little different. I’ve overcame a lot in my life and this was nothing different.”
Since his return to the ring in November 2024, Powerhouse Hobbs has been a dominant force in All Elite Wrestling. He is currently a member of the AEW World Trios Champions alongside his partners in “The Opps,” Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata.