Roman Reigns Discusses The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE; NXT’s Oba Femi Out of Sight
The WWE Universe is buzzing with recent developments involving some of its top stars and intriguing newcomers. From Roman Reigns’ candid reflections on his WrestleMania 40 clash with Cody Rhodes and potential future bouts with The Rock, to boxer Tommy Fury hinting at a possible leap into pro wrestling, and rumors swirling around NXT’s Oba Femi’s recent absence—here’s the latest scoop.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns sat down for an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, where he addressed the shifting plans for WrestleMania 40’s main event. Fans initially anticipated a monumental clash between Reigns and The Rock, but the actual storyline had Reigns facing Cody Rhodes, much to the surprise of the WWE Universe.
When asked if he had been disappointed by the change in opponent, Reigns emphasized that the identity of his challenger didn’t matter as much as being in the spotlight as the main event star. He said, "It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with… They are trying to stop history from happening. It was the same task in hand for me."
The storyline took several twists: after Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble, he initially declared he wouldn’t challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40, hinting The Rock would take that spot. However, a strong fan backlash led to a reversal, with The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss” and aligning with Reigns. On Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, Reigns and The Rock defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins, but Rhodes took the WWE title from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Looking ahead, Reigns addressed the possibility of a future match with The Rock. He stated that if the fans vocally demand it, and "The People’s Champ is down," WWE would likely make it happen. The legendary Rock made a surprise return to WWE last month at Bad Blood, but has since been absent from programming. With the ongoing battles involving the Bloodline faction, Reigns hinted that a Rock appearance at Survivor Series could signal the start of building toward that long-awaited face-off.
Tommy Fury Teases a Potential Pro Wrestling Career with WWE
British boxer Tommy Fury recently sparked interest among WWE fans when he posted a video from backstage at a WWE event during the company’s UK tour. In the clip, he interacted with several stars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, expressing gratitude for the warm reception and teasing a possible in-ring future with the promotion.
Fury remarked, "I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night."
The 25-year-old younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has made waves in boxing with a perfect 10-0 record and being the only boxer to beat YouTuber-turned-pro fighter Jake Paul. His family ties to Tyson, who had a one-off WWE match at Crown Jewel 2019 and famously knocked out Austin Theory in the crowd at WWE Clash at the Castle in 2022, could set the stage for Tommy to debut in WWE.
A potential rivalry between the Fury brothers and the Paul brothers—Logan Paul being an active WWE superstar and former United States champion—could generate considerable mainstream attention, making Tommy Fury a worthwhile prospect for WWE’s future.
NXT’s Oba Femi Reported Absent Following Recent Losses
On the NXT front, former North American Champion Oba Femi has been notably absent from tapings and television since his loss at Halloween Havoc on October 27, where Tony D’Angelo defeated him for the title. Reports indicate that Femi has not been backstage for NXT events in over a month, sparking speculation about his status.
Femi, who made his NXT TV debut in April 2023, quickly rose to prominence by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship from Dragon Lee. He held the title for a record 272 days before his recent setbacks. His absence could be due to a variety of factors such as a creative reset following two consecutive losses, injury, or even preparations for a main roster call-up.
When he returns, many expect Femi to be a strong contender for the NXT Championship and a key player in the brand’s next storylines.
Stay tuned as WWE’s landscape continues to evolve with these compelling stories and more.