Roman Reigns Talks The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE; Oba Femi Rumors in NXT
Bleacher Report provides an update on the latest happenings and insider news from the WWE Universe.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 and Potential Match with The Rock
Roman Reigns recently spoke candidly about his experiences surrounding WrestleMania 40, particularly regarding his opponents The Rock and Cody Rhodes. In an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, Reigns shared his perspective on the shifting plans WWE had for the main event.
Reigns explained that whether he faced The Rock or Cody Rhodes did not matter to him, as his focus remained on being the main event star and defending his title. “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with, you know. I am the hot chick, everyone wanted to take me out,” Reigns said.
The situation arose after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble but initially declined to challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. This led to anticipation that The Rock would step in as the challenger. However, fan backlash influenced a change of plans: Rhodes reversed his stance, The Rock turned heel, adopting the persona of "The Final Boss," and aligned himself with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, only for Rhodes to capture the WWE title from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
When asked about the possibility of a future WWE Championship match against The Rock, Reigns indicated that such a matchup depends largely on fan interest, stating, “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen.” The Rock, who made an unannounced WWE appearance at Bad Blood last month, has not revealed his long-term intentions yet but could return for upcoming events like the Survivor Series WarGames match.
Boxer Tommy Fury Shows Interest in WWE Career
British boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted at potential involvement in WWE after attending events on the company’s recent UK tour. Posting a backstage video on YouTube, Fury conveyed gratitude to WWE Superstars like Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, and expressed enthusiasm about potentially stepping into the wrestling ring someday.
Fury said, "I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night."
Tommy Fury boasts a professional boxing record of 10-0 and is notably the only boxer to defeat Jake Paul. Given his connections to the Paul family and boxing credentials, Fury could become a compelling WWE attraction, possibly matching up against Logan Paul, who is an active WWE Superstar and former United States Champion. A “Fury brothers vs. Paul brothers” storyline would likely appeal to a broad mainstream audience, making WWE’s potential interest in Tommy Fury a storyline worth watching.
Oba Femi’s Recent Absence from NXT Sparks Speculation
Oba Femi, the former NXT North American Champion, has reportedly been absent from NXT programming and tapings since late October. After losing the North American Championship to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27 — ending a 272-day title reign — Femi also lost a subsequent rematch and has not been seen on NXT television since.
Fightful Select reports there has been no backstage presence of Femi at recent NXT tapings, though no official reason has been confirmed. This could suggest a break to allow Femi to reset following his two big losses, potential injury recovery, or behind-the-scenes plans for a call-up to WWE’s main roster. Given his strong performance since debuting in April 2023, winning the NXT Breakout Tournament, and holding a lengthy title run, Femi remains a strong candidate to challenge for the NXT Championship upon his return.
Stay tuned for further WWE news and insider updates from Bleacher Report.