Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and WrestleMania 40
In a recent interview on the Sports Illustrated Media podcast, WWE superstar Roman Reigns shared his thoughts on his WrestleMania 40 main event experience against Cody Rhodes, as well as the possibility of a future match with The Rock. Reigns discussed the uncertainty leading up to WrestleMania, when it was unclear if he would square off against Rhodes or The Rock.
Reigns emphasized that his main concern was simply being in the spotlight. “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with,” he said, reflecting on the anticipation around the match. He described the challenge in front of him as a fight to maintain the pinnacle of WWE success, no matter the opponent.
Originally, after Rhodes secured the 2024 Royal Rumble victory, fans anticipated a showdown between Rhodes and Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. However, Rhodes initially declined to challenge Reigns, sparking rumors that The Rock would instead be the challenger. Following mixed fan reactions, Rhodes changed his stance, leading to The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss” and teaming with Reigns. The duo defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, before Rhodes reclaimed the title from Reigns on Night 2. Addressing the long-anticipated match between Reigns and The Rock that didn’t take place at WrestleMania, Reigns hinted it remains a possibility if the WWE fanbase shows strong demand. “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen,” he said. The Rock made a surprise WWE return at the Bad Blood event last month, stirring speculation for a potential renewed rivalry.
Tommy Fury Teases Interest in WWE Career
Boxer Tommy Fury has publicly suggested he might pursue a career in professional wrestling with WWE. During WWE’s recent UK tour, Fury posted a YouTube video showing him backstage with WWE superstars, where he expressed appreciation and hinted at a possible future in wrestling.
Fury praised WWE stars such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, and said, “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows?” Tommy Fury is following in the footsteps of his elder brother Tyson Fury, a former heavyweight boxing champion who had a brief involvement in WWE, including a match at Crown Jewel 2019. Tommy Fury holds an undefeated boxing record and is known for defeating Jake Paul, who shares ties to WWE through his brother Logan Paul, a current WWE Superstar and former United States Champion. This family connection could open the door for future WWE storylines involving the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers, a prospect that could attract crossover appeal among fans of boxing, wrestling, and mainstream entertainment.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Sparks Speculation
Reports indicate that former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has been absent from recent NXT tapings over the past month. According to Fightful Select, Femi hasn’t been seen since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at the October 27 Halloween Havoc event, where he dropped the title after an impressive 272-day reign.
The reason for his absence is currently unknown. It may be a strategic decision by NXT officials to give Femi time to reset following two significant losses or possibly to prepare him for a main roster call-up. Another possibility is that he could be dealing with an injury away from the public eye.
Femi initially made a strong impact in NXT after his April 2023 debut, winning the Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship in dominant fashion. He remains a potential top contender for the NXT Championship, with fans eager to see if he will soon return to challenge current champion Trick Williams.
Summary
Roman Reigns opened up on the challenges and changes leading up to WrestleMania 40, sharing confidence in future opportunities with The Rock if fan demand persists. Boxing star Tommy Fury surprised WWE fans by expressing an interest in exploring wrestling, possibly setting the stage for crossover storylines with the Paul brothers. Meanwhile, NXT’s rising star Oba Femi remains off-screen amid speculation about his next career move following recent setbacks.
Fans can keep up with these evolving storylines and more wrestling news on Bleacher Report and dedicated podcasts such as Ring Rust Radio.