Backstage News On HOOK Being Replaced By Powerhouse Hobbs In AEW Dynamite Main Event

New AEW World Trios Champions were crowned on "AEW Dynamite" this week after Samoa Joe caused interim co-champion Jon Moxley to pass out to the Coquina Clutch. Initially, Joe would have won the titles alongside both his Opps stablemates, Katsuyori Shibata and HOOK. As bell-time neared, however, HOOK was replaced by Powerhouse Hobbs.

According to Fightful Select, Hobbs received notice of this decision on Wednesday, the same day as the respective "Dynamite" episode emanating from Boston. In the title match's closing moments, Hobbs sent the Death Riders' Wheeler Yuta crashing over the announce table, after which Marina Shafir struck the former TNT Champion in the back with a chair. In an effort to neutralize Shafir, Willow Nightingale wiped her out with a clothesline on the outside, allowing Joe to cinch in his submission on Moxley in the ring for the win.

Regarding the reason behind HOOK's last-minute removal, Fightful notes that he has a "physical" issue of some sort. Specifics on the issue as well as his in-ring return, however, remain unknown. Regardless of HOOK's injury, the outlet clarified that AEW creative plans have long called for this AEW World Trios Championship title change.

HOOK's last match took place last week, with him and Joe scoring a victory over Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli. At some point after their tag match, though, HOOK was spotted puking in the ring. As it stands, there is no word on whether or not this incident is related to his current injury.

HOOK previously held the FTW Championship on three occasions before retiring it last September alongside his father and AEW commentator Taz.