CM Punk does not understand the fans.
The Royal Rumble PPV saw the big debut of former AEW star Powerhouse Hobbs after weeks of speculation. He was given a new ring name, Royce Keys, upon his arrival - a move that did not go over with fans.
The Straight Edge star talked about the negative reaction over the name change during his appearance on No Contest Wrestling podcast. He was asked to name young talents that could be future stars. After mentioning Hobbs, CM Punk questioned people showing unnecessary negativity over his new moniker:
Let's talk about the name for a minute. Wrestling fans are so interesting ‘cause they complain about everything. Powerhouse Hobbs, cool name, right? This is a new start, and I think Royce Keys is a pretty badass name.
Everyone's immediately gonna poo poo on it because they're used to Hobbs. This is the status quo. People will always not like new things, but then they'll demand new things. 'Oh we need new talent.' 'Ok we're giving you new talent.' But then they sour on him.
The debut of Powerhouse Hobbs is not the first time fans have taken a name change so seriously. There had been a lot of complaints when Io Shirai debuted on the main roster as IYO SKY at the 2022 SummerSlam PPV. Though she has since become one of the most beloved names of the current roster.
The new ring name also holds emotional value for the former TNT Champion as Royce is the name of his youngest son, while Keys is derived from his late mother's maiden name.
