Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Shows WWE Interest; Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Fuels Rumors
In recent wrestling news, WWE’s "Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns opened up about his experiences facing Cody Rhodes and the potential of a future showdown with The Rock. Meanwhile, boxer Tommy Fury hinted at a possible WWE career, and former North American Champion Oba Femi’s absence from NXT has stirred speculation about his future.
Roman Reigns on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
During an in-depth interview on the SI Media podcast, hosted by Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, Roman Reigns discussed the dynamics surrounding the WrestleMania 40 main event. The match card had several revisions, initially suggesting Reigns would face his cousin The Rock, but ultimately featuring Cody Rhodes as his opponent.
When asked if he was disappointed not to wrestle The Rock at the event, Reigns was unbothered. "It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with," Reigns said, describing the challenge he faced as defending his championship against top contenders aiming to "stop history from happening."
Following Rhodes’ victory in the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he initially stated he would not challenge Reigns at WrestleMania, implying The Rock might fill that role instead. However, after backlash from fans, Rhodes reversed his position, leading to The Rock turning heel — adopting the persona "The Final Boss" — and aligning with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the first night’s main event, with Rhodes capturing the WWE Championship from Reigns on night two.
Looking ahead, Reigns suggested a showdown with The Rock remains possible if fans demand it. "If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen," he said. Notably, The Rock made a surprise WWE appearance last month at Bad Blood but left his intentions ambiguous. Their family rivalry could heat up again soon, especially with the Bloodline storyline intensifying at Survivor Series.
Boxer Tommy Fury Expresses Interest in WWE
Tommy Fury, younger brother of boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury — who himself participated in a WWE match at Crown Jewel 2019 — revealed openness to wrestling in WWE after attending events during recent UK tour dates.
In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury shared his backstage experience meeting WWE stars such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther. "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," he said.
Tommy Fury’s undefeated boxing record and connection to the YouTube-famous Paul family — notably Logan Paul, who currently wrestles in WWE — could position him well for a crossover role. Speculation includes potential tag team opportunities pitting the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers, which might attract mainstream attention to WWE programming.
Oba Femi’s NXT Quiet Spell Sparks Speculation
Former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has been notably absent from recent NXT tapings since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at the Halloween Havoc event on October 27. Fightful Select reports no recent backstage sightings or mentions of Femi at WWE’s developmental brand.
It remains unclear whether Femi’s hiatus is due to injury, a creative reset following two high-profile losses, or a possible main roster call-up. Femi burst onto the NXT scene in April 2023, winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and subsequently ending Dragon Lee’s North American Championship reign with a record 272-day title run before his recent defeats.
Should Femi return soon, industry insiders speculate he could target the NXT Championship, potentially positioning him to dethrone current titleholder Trick Williams.
Wrestling fans and analysts continue to monitor these developments closely, eager to see how these storylines and careers evolve within WWE.
For continuous updates and in-depth analysis, stay tuned to Bleacher Report’s WWE coverage and listen to wrestling podcasts like Ring Rust Radio.