Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Career; NXT Update on Oba Femi
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings the latest from the WWE Universe, covering Roman Reigns’ thoughts on key WrestleMania 40 matches, boxer Tommy Fury’s potential WWE interest, and updates on Oba Femi’s status in NXT.
Roman Reigns Opens Up on WrestleMania 40 Matchup: The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes
During a recent interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated‘s Jimmy Traina, Roman Reigns discussed his experience leading into WrestleMania 40 and the eventual main event opponent—Cody Rhodes instead of The Rock.
When asked if he was disappointed by facing Rhodes rather than his cousin The Rock, Reigns made it clear that being in the main event was what mattered most to him.
“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. It’s where, we just need to get there and defend this thing. 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 WrestleMania 40 buildup was notable for some last-minute changes. Cody Rhodes, after winning the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, initially ruled out challenging Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. This suggested that The Rock would step into that main event slot. However, after negative fan reaction, Rhodes reversed course, leading to dramatic shifts including The Rock’s heel turn and alliance with Reigns as "The Final Boss."
At WrestleMania 40, Reigns and The Rock teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1, while Rhodes captured the WWE Championship from Reigns in the highly anticipated main event of Night 2. Looking ahead, when Traina inquired about the possibility of a future Reigns vs. Rock match, Reigns was optimistic—stressing fan passion as the deciding factor.
“I think our fanbase and the company’s proven that if our fans are loud enough and passionate enough about something, we’re a company who—we’re not being dictated to. We have a vision for where we’re trying to go, but we know who the consumers are. We know who’s paying their hard-earned money, and we want to satisfy those people.”
“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 return at last month’s Bad Blood event but has yet to clarify his WWE plans. With the ongoing Bloodline storyline featuring a WarGames match at Survivor Series, speculation continues around whether The Rock will return to further feud with Reigns.
Boxer Tommy Fury Shows Interest in Joining WWE
Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, has teased a possible future in professional wrestling with WWE. On Sunday, Fury shared a YouTube video showcasing his backstage experience during WWE’s recent UK tour.
In his video, Fury expressed gratitude toward WWE Superstars such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, while hinting at a potential wrestling career:
“So guys, that is a night at the WWE complete. All the wrestlers showing love. Big up to Randy Orton. Absolutely amazing guy. Big up to Cody Rhodes, all of them, Gunther, the lot of them. Thank you to the WWE for showing us such appreciation. And I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night.”
Tommy Fury, 25, holds a perfect 10-0 professional boxing record and is notably the only fighter to have defeated internet personality Jake Paul in the ring. Given his ties and rivalries with the Paul family, a WWE storyline involving Tommy and Logan Paul (a current WWE Superstar) could attract considerable mainstream attention.
Tyson Fury made a brief WWE appearance in the past, wrestling Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel 2019 and notably interfering in the 2022 Clash at the Castle event, which added intrigue to Tommy’s potential WWE aspirations.
NXT Report: Oba Femi Absent from Recent Tapings
Reports from Fightful Select, as relayed by Ringside News, indicate that Oba Femi has not been seen backstage at NXT tapings since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The exact reason for his absence remains unclear—it could be a strategic decision by NXT officials to give the former North American Champion time to regroup after two key losses. Since debuting on TV in April 2023, Femi had a string of successes including winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and a lengthy 272-day reign as North American Champion.
His losses to D’Angelo, including dropping the title and a rematch loss at Halloween Havoc, marked a turning point. Whether Femi’s lack of recent appearances indicates an injury, a main roster call-up, or simply a storyline pause is unknown. When he returns, many see him as a strong contender for the NXT Championship.
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