Roman Reigns Discusses The Rock and Cody Rhodes, Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Future, and Oba Femi’s NXT Status
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest developments from WWE’s expanding universe. Recent discussions include insights from Roman Reigns on his WrestleMania 40 opponents, the intriguing possibility of boxer Tommy Fury stepping into WWE, and the absence of former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi from recent shows.
Roman Reigns Talks WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
In an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, WWE’s “Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns opened up about the dynamics surrounding his WrestleMania 40 main event matches. Reigns reflected on the back-and-forth decision between having him face The Rock or Cody Rhodes at the marquee event.
When asked if he was disappointed not to face The Rock, Reigns said it did not matter as long as he was in the main event spotlight. He emphasized, “I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with … It didn’t matter who it is. They are trying to stop history from happening. They are trying to take us off the pinnacle right now, so it was the same task in hand for me.”
The storyline saw Cody Rhodes win the 2024 Royal Rumble, but initially forgo a title challenge against Reigns, paving the way for The Rock to appear as the challenger. Following fan backlash, Rhodes reversed his decision, which led to The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss” and aligning with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, while Rhodes reclaimed the WWE Championship from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Looking ahead, despite the much-anticipated Rock vs. Reigns singles match not happening at WrestleMania, Reigns left open the possibility for the future. He stated, “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen.” Given The Rock’s surprise return at Bad Blood in October and the upcoming Bloodline vs. Original Bloodline WarGames match at Survivor Series, fans could see more developments building toward a potential clash.
Tommy Fury Suggests WWE Ambitions
British professional boxer Tommy Fury, known for his undefeated record and being the younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted at pursuing a wrestling career with WWE. Posting a YouTube video from backstage at a recent WWE UK show, Fury expressed gratitude toward WWE superstars like Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
He said, “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night.” Given his connections to the Paul family, including his notable victory over Jake Paul and Logan Paul’s ongoing WWE run, a Fury-Paul rivalry or even a tag team featuring the brothers could attract mainstream attention.
Tommy Fury’s brother Tyson also has WWE history, with one match to his name at Crown Jewel 2019 and notable appearances, including his large role in disrupting Austin Theory’s Money in the Bank cash-in at Clash at the Castle in 2022. Tommy’s potential entrance into WWE could follow a similar famous sports-to-wrestling transition.
NXT Update: Oba Femi Absent Following Recent Losses
Oba Femi, the former NXT North American Champion, has been notably absent from WWE’s NXT tapings over the past month. After losing the North American title to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27 and falling in a rematch, sources from Fightful Select have reported no recent backstage presence of Femi.
The 24-year-old, who made a strong impression since debuting on NXT television in April 2023 by winning the Breakout Tournament and holding the North American title for a record 272 days, might be taking time off to regroup after two key losses. There is no official confirmation on whether the absence is due to injury, creative direction, or a potential main roster call-up.
Should Femi return soon, many speculate that he will once again be positioned as a top contender, possibly angling for the NXT Championship and a showdown with current titleholder Trick Williams.
Looking Ahead
With Roman Reigns contemplating future matches involving The Rock, Tommy Fury hinting at a WWE future, and Oba Femi’s NXT status uncertain, WWE fans have plenty to anticipate as 2024 progresses. These storylines and potential crossovers are sure to keep the WWE Universe engaged in the coming months.
For more wrestling news and discussions, be sure to catch the latest episodes of Ring Rust Radio and stay tuned for updates.
Photo Caption: The Rock and Roman Reigns look back at the ring after defeating Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, Philadelphia, April 6, 2024. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)