Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Shows Interest in WWE; Oba Femi Absent from NXT
In recent WWE news, Roman Reigns opened up about his WrestleMania 40 experience, discussing his matches with Cody Rhodes and the possibility of facing The Rock in the future. Additionally, boxer Tommy Fury hinted at exploring a career in WWE, while NXT star Oba Femi has been notably absent from television following recent setbacks.
Roman Reigns on WrestleMania 40 and Future Prospects
During an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, Roman Reigns shared his insights on the main event of WrestleMania 40 held in Philadelphia earlier this year. Reigns was initially slated to face either Cody Rhodes or The Rock in the headline match. When asked if he was disappointed ending up against Rhodes rather than The Rock, known as "The Original Tribal Chief" expressed indifference about his opponent, emphasizing his focus on being the main event.
“I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with… It didn’t matter who it was," Reigns explained. "They are trying to stop history from happening, trying to take us off the pinnacle. So it was the same task in hand for me."
The storyline leading to the event saw Rhodes winning the 2024 Royal Rumble and initially stating he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. This sparked talk that The Rock would step in, but after fan backlash, Rhodes reversed his stance, leading to The Rock turning heel as "The Final Boss" and forming an alliance with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, with Rhodes winning the WWE title from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
When questioned about a potential future showdown with The Rock, Reigns indicated that if fans demand it, WWE is open to making it happen. “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 return at last month’s Bad Blood event but has since been absent from programming. With the enormous family rivalry depicted recently at Survivor Series, a Rock versus Reigns match could still be in the cards.
Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Future
British professional boxer Tommy Fury recently gave a glimpse of his possible future in professional wrestling. In a YouTube video posted after attending a WWE event during the company’s UK tour, Fury was seen backstage mingling with WWE Superstars like Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
Fury expressed appreciation for the WWE’s hospitality and hinted at his interest in wrestling: “I look forward to possibly climbing through those ropes one day… Who knows?” At just 25, Tommy is the younger brother of former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, who previously dabbled in WWE, most notably winning a match against Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel 2019. Tommy Fury’s undefeated 10-0 boxing record and his victory over Jake Paul have elevated his profile beyond boxing. Given his connection to the Paul’s family—brother of Logan Paul, a WWE Superstar—there is speculation that Tommy could be involved in future WWE storylines, possibly even in mixed tag team rivalries featuring the Fury and Paul brothers.
Oba Femi Missing from NXT Programming
Meanwhile, NXT fans have noticed the absence of former North American Champion Oba Femi from shows and tapings over the past month. Reports from Fightful Select indicate that since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27, Femi has not been seen backstage or on NXT episodes.
Femi rose quickly after debuting on television in April 2023, capturing the NXT Breakout Tournament and cashing in his title opportunity to dethrone Dragon Lee, holding the North American Championship for a record-setting 272 days. However, following back-to-back losses to D’Angelo, Femi has been off-screen.
The reason behind Femi’s absence is unclear. It might be a recovery period from injury, a planned pause to refresh his character or storyline, or possibly preparation for a main roster call-up. When he returns, he is widely expected to be a strong contender for the NXT Championship.
As WWE continues to build storylines and pursue dynamic talent moves, fans remain eager to see how Roman Reigns’ saga unfolds, whether Tommy Fury transitions into wrestling, and how Oba Femi’s career progresses in the developmental system. Stay tuned for updates from the WWE Universe as these narratives develop.