Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes Feud; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Future; Oba Femi’s NXT Absence
By Mike Chiari – November 27, 2024, Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, covering Roman Reigns’ insights on his WrestleMania 40 opponents, boxing star Tommy Fury’s budding WWE interest, and NXT’s Oba Femi recent absence rumors.
Roman Reigns Discusses WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns recently gave an in-depth interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, where he opened up about his WrestleMania 40 experience, specifically his high-profile matches against Cody Rhodes and the legendary The Rock.
Reigns revealed he was indifferent about which opponent he faced at WrestleMania 40, insisting that being in the main event was what truly mattered. “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with,” Reigns stated, emphasizing that the core mission was defending his top spot at the pinnacle of WWE.
Originally, after Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he initially announced he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. This led to speculation that The Rock would take that spot. However, after a swift and negative fan backlash, Rhodes reversed his stance, and The Rock, turning heel as "The Final Boss,” aligned himself with Reigns. The new tag team of Reigns and The Rock defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40. The next night featured Rhodes capturing the WWE Championship from Reigns.
When asked about the long-awaited Rock vs. Reigns battle still not materializing, Reigns left the door open for a future showdown stating, “If our fans are loud enough and passionate enough about something, we’re a company that listens. If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen.”
The Rock made a surprise appearance last month at WWE’s Bad Blood event but has remained largely out of the spotlight since. With upcoming big matches like the WarGames event at Survivor Series, many speculate this could be an opportune moment for The Rock to return and possibly set the stage for a family rivalry with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Teases Possible WWE Career
British boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted that he could pursue a WWE career in the future. In a YouTube video shot backstage at a recent WWE UK tour event, Fury expressed admiration for WWE stars such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
Fury said, “I look forward to possibly climbing through those ropes one day. Who knows?” The 25-year-old is undefeated in his boxing career with a noteworthy victory over Jake Paul. Given his ties to the Paul family and Logan Paul’s established presence in WWE, a potential wrestling storyline involving the Fury and Paul brothers could attract a crossover mainstream audience.
Tyson Fury previously appeared in WWE, notably defeating Braun Strowman by count-out at Crown Jewel 2019, and making a notable front-row appearance at Clash at the Castle 2022 where he knocked out Austin Theory to disrupt a Money in the Bank cash-in attempt.
NXT’s Oba Femi Reportedly Absent Following Losses
Oba Femi, former NXT North American Champion, has not appeared on NXT television for several weeks following his loss at Halloween Havoc on October 27. Fightful Select reports Femi has been absent from backstage areas since the event. While the reasons remain speculative—ranging from injury recovery to simple creative direction—many believe this could be a strategic break after Femi’s first televised loss and losing the North American Championship to Tony D’Angelo. His reign lasted a record-setting 272 days.
Since debuting on NXT television in April 2023, Femi has been a standout star. He captured victory in the NXT Breakout Tournament and successfully cashed in his title opportunity against Dragon Lee. Femi could be gearing up for a return aimed at the NXT Championship, making him a prime contender to challenge current champion Trick Williams.
Looking Ahead
The WWE Universe remains buzzing with speculation about future dream matches, including a possible Reigns vs. The Rock bout, the potential WWE debut of Tommy Fury, and the re-emergence of NXT talent like Oba Femi.
For continuing coverage of wrestling’s hottest topics and insider news, stay tuned to Bleacher Report and listen to Ring Rust Radio for expert analysis.
Photo Caption: The Rock and Roman Reigns look back at the ring after their WrestleMania 40 victory over Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6, 2024. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)