Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 Opponents, Tommy Fury Expresses WWE Interest, and NXT Star Oba Femi’s Recent Absence
The WWE Universe is buzzing with recent developments involving some of wrestling’s prominent figures. Roman Reigns shared his thoughts on WrestleMania 40 opponents The Rock and Cody Rhodes during an interview, boxer Tommy Fury hinted at a possible future in WWE, and NXT has seen the mysterious absence of former North American Champion Oba Femi. Here’s the latest.
Roman Reigns Opens Up on WrestleMania 40 Main Event and The Rock Match Prospects
On Tuesday, Roman Reigns joined Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast to discuss the epic WrestleMania 40 events and his experiences facing Cody Rhodes and the potential matchup with The Rock. Initially, WWE had planned a main event featuring Reigns vs. The Rock, creating high anticipation, but the card changed when Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble and originally declined a title match against Reigns, appearing to pave the way for The Rock to challenge.
Reigns revealed he was unfazed by the opponent switch, emphasizing that his focus was on being in the main event and defending his championship regardless of the challenger. “It didn’t matter who it is. They are trying to stop history from happening… it was the same task in hand for me,” Reigns said.
The storyline took a twist when fan backlash prompted Rhodes to decide to challenge Reigns after all, leading to The Rock’s heel turn as “The Final Boss” and an alliance with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, with Rhodes capturing the WWE Championship from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
When asked about a future Reigns vs. The Rock showdown, Reigns suggested that if fans show enough passion and support, the company could bring the match to life. “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen,” he said, hinting at possibilities for one of WWE’s most exciting matchups.
The Rock made an unannounced return at WWE’s Bad Blood event last month but has since remained absent from programming. With Survivor Series’ upcoming WarGames match featuring The Bloodline, speculation grows that The Rock might reappear and rekindle his on-screen rivalry with his cousin Roman Reigns.
Tommy Fury Experiments with WWE, Sparks Rumors of Possible Wrestling Career
Boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, appeared backstage at a WWE event in the United Kingdom and expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of working with WWE in the future.
In a recent YouTube video from WWE’s UK tour, Fury thanked several WWE Superstars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, and stated, “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night.”
At 25 years old, Tommy Fury boasts an undefeated boxing record with a notable victory over Jake Paul, giving him a crossover appeal valuable to WWE’s fanbase. His connection to the Paul family — with Logan Paul currently a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion — makes the prospect of Tommy Fury joining WWE intriguing, as it could set up compelling storylines and matches involving the brotherly tandems.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Raises Questions
Meanwhile, NXT’s former North American Champion Oba Femi has been noticeably absent from recent tapings and episodes since losing the North American title to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. Femi, who enjoyed a dominant start in NXT after debuting in April 2023 — including winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and holding the North American Championship for a record 272 days — has not been seen since losing the title and a rematch to D’Angelo.
Though reasons for his absence remain unknown, it may be a strategic decision by NXT management to give Femi time for a reset following two significant losses. Alternatively, he could be recuperating from an injury or preparing for a potential main roster call-up. Wrestling experts consider Femi a strong candidate for future championship pursuits upon his return, particularly targeting the NXT Championship currently held by Trick Williams.
Stay tuned for more updates as these storylines and careers evolve within the WWE Universe.
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Photo caption: Roman Reigns and The Rock celebrate after teaming up to defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 Night 1 in Philadelphia, April 6, 2024. (Photo via WWE/Getty Images)