Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 Opponents, Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Career, and NXT’s Oba Femi Absence
By Mike Chiari | Bleacher Report | November 27, 2024
The WWE Universe is abuzz with fresh updates as Roman Reigns shares his views on recent WrestleMania 40 matchups, British boxer Tommy Fury hints at a potential wrestling future, and NXT fans notice the unexplained absence of standout competitor Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns on The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and What’s Next
Roman Reigns recently appeared on the Sports Illustrated (SI) Media podcast with host Jimmy Traina, where he opened up about his WrestleMania 40 main event experiences and his thoughts on facing either The Rock or Cody Rhodes in the spotlight.
With the buildup to WrestleMania 40 initially teasing a high-profile showdown between Reigns and The Rock, the legendary “Original Tribal Chief” said he was unfazed by the eventual switch to face Cody Rhodes instead. “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with," Reigns said in the interview. Emphasizing his role as the one everyone is gunning for, Reigns explained that the objective was clear regardless of the opponent: “They are trying to stop history from happening… it was the same task in hand for me.”
The storyline shifted multiple times, notably after Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble but elected not to challenge Reigns. This swap led to a heel turn for The Rock—now dubbed “The Final Boss”—who aligned himself with Reigns. That alliance helped Reigns and The Rock win the Night 1 main event tag team match against Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, but the following night saw Rhodes eventually capture the WWE Championship from Reigns.
When asked about the possibility of a future singles matchup with The Rock, Reigns remained open but emphasized the importance of fan demand: “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 an unexpected WWE return at the recent Bad Blood event, but his intentions remain unclear as he has been absent from the ring since. With a high-stakes WarGames match involving The Bloodline set for Survivor Series, speculation builds that The Rock could make another impactful appearance to rekindle a classic family feud.
Tommy Fury Shows Interest in WWE
Tommy Fury, prominent British boxer and younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has hinted at possibly stepping into the squared circle. Sharing footage on his YouTube channel from a recent WWE show in the United Kingdom, Fury expressed enthusiasm about the wrestling world and his desire to someday climb the ropes himself.
“Big up to Randy Orton… Cody Rhodes, Gunther, all of them,” Fury said, praising WWE superstars and thanking the company for their hospitality. “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows?”
Tommy, undefeated at 10-0 in professional boxing and known for handing Jake Paul his first defeat, has connections to the wrestling world through Tyson Fury, who had a one-off match at WWE Crown Jewel 2019 and has appeared at WWE events sporadically since. Given Tommy’s friendship with the Paul brothers, including Logan Paul — a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion — he could be a significant crossover star. A tag team confrontation pitting the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers would certainly be a mainstream draw and is a storyline WWE could explore.
Oba Femi’s Absence in NXT Raises Questions
Oba Femi, the former NXT North American Champion and winner of the 2023 NXT Breakout Tournament, has been notably absent from NXT tapings and television for over a month, according to reports from Fightful Select. His last televised match saw him lose the North American title to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27, followed by a rematch loss weeks later. Since then, Femi has not been seen in NXT programming or backstage.
While the reasons behind his absence remain undisclosed, it may be a strategic move by WWE creative to allow Femi a reset after two significant defeats or possibly a period of recuperation from injury. Since his debut in April 2023, Femi impressed fans with a strong winning streak and a record-setting 272-day title reign. Should he return soon, the talented former Alabama shot-put star is widely seen as a credible contender to challenge for the NXT Championship and a prime candidate to dethrone current titleholder Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for more updates on WWE and the wrestling world as these stories continue to develop. For in-depth wrestling discussions, listen to the latest episode of Ring Rust Radio, featuring expert analysis on current storylines and talent.
[Photo Caption: Roman Reigns and The Rock look back at the ring after their victory against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins during WrestleMania 40 Night 1 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6, 2024. Photo Credit: WWE/Getty Images]