Steve Carrier on February 1, 2026
AEW found itself catching heat online after posting a Black History Month message that quickly turned into a flashpoint for fan frustration—especially coming just one day after Powerhouse Hobbs resurfaced on WWE television under a new name.
On February 1, 2026, AEW took to X with a celebratory message, “AEW is proud to celebrate Black History this month and every month! #BlackHistoryMonth”
The post included a promotional poster featuring several Black AEW talents. But almost immediately, the replies filled up with criticism, with fans pointing out notable absences and questioning the timing—particularly with Hobbs fresh off his Royal Rumble appearance for WWE.
The timing mattered. The 2026 Royal Rumble took place at Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the former Powerhouse Hobbs entered the Men’s Royal Rumble at No. 14. WWE initially displayed his old AEW ring name on the screens before transitioning to his new WWE identity, Royce Keys. It marked a major moment for Hobbs, who had reportedly turned down a significant AEW contract offer before signing with WWE.
That context framed much of the backlash. One fan questioned AEW’s current championship picture in blunt terms, reacting to the poster by writing, “Any black champions?”
Another commenter tied the criticism directly to Hobbs’ departure and AEW’s decision not to include him, “Well, Power house is history to this indy. So why he didnt make poster?”
Others were even more direct, zeroing in on Hobbs by name, “Where’s hobbs?” Some fans pushed back on the entire concept of themed promotional posts, suggesting the approach itself felt outdated, “I thought we as a society moved away from doing things like this. You have wrestlers period not black or white.”
Others framed the situation as a Tony Khan problem, implying the post felt rushed or poorly thought out, “Tony couldn’t wait to hit post on this 😂😂😂😂” The backlash didn’t stop with Hobbs. Fans also pointed out that multiple high-profile Black AEW stars were missing from the graphic, including current and former champions, “No Swerve? Mercedes? Hurt Syndicate? Bowens? Caster?”
One fan specifically called out Mercedes Moné’s absence, mentioning her historical impact beyond wrestling, “That a choice to not feature the most influential female in not just black history but history Mercede$ Moné‼️ 🤑”
As the replies kept piling up, some fans debated which omission mattered more, with one jokingly writing, “Everyone asking bout hobbs like swerve aint missing 😭”
By the end of the day, the replies were flooded with variations of the same criticism: fans felt AEW’s Black History Month post didn’t reflect its most influential or most recently spotlighted Black talent—especially with Hobbs making waves elsewhere just hours earlier.
Whether the omissions were intentional, contractual, or simply a marketing choice, the response made one thing clear: fans were paying close attention, and they weren’t shy about calling out what they saw as gaps.
Do you think AEW dropped the ball with this Black History Month post, or is the backlash overblown? Should Powerhouse Hobbs, Swerve Strickland, and Mercedes Moné have been front and center? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think.
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