Roman Reigns Talks The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Spot; NXT Rumors on Oba Femi
By Mike Chiari
Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, featuring insights from Roman Reigns, a potential WWE career for boxer Tommy Fury, and rumors surrounding NXT star Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 and Possible Future Match with The Rock
Roman Reigns shared his thoughts on WWE icons The Rock and Cody Rhodes during a recent interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina.
When asked if he was disappointed to face Cody Rhodes rather than The Rock in the main event of WrestleMania 40, Reigns expressed that it didn’t matter to him as long as he was in the spotlight. He stated:
“It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with, you know. I am the hot chick, everyone wanted to take me out. It’s where, we just need to get there and defend this thing. It didn’t matter who it is. They are trying to stop history from happening. They are trying to take us off the pinnacle right now, so it was the same task in hand for me.”
Earlier, Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble and initially declined to challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40, which led to speculation that The Rock would step in for the marquee match. However, after fan backlash, Rhodes reversed his decision, prompting The Rock to turn heel – adopting the moniker “The Final Boss” – and align with Reigns.
At WrestleMania 40, The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1, but Rhodes claimed the WWE title by overcoming Reigns on Night 2. The much-anticipated one-on-one between The Rock and Reigns did not happen, but when asked about its possibility in the future, Reigns was optimistic:
“I think our fanbase and the company’s proven that if our fans are loud enough and passionate enough about something, we’re a company who—we’re not being dictated to. We have a vision for where we’re trying to go, but we know who the consumers are. We know who’s paying their hard-earned money, and we want to satisfy those people. 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 unannounced return at WWE Bad Blood last month but has remained out of sight since. With upcoming high-profile matches, including a WarGames encounter at Survivor Series involving new and original Bloodline factions, there is speculation The Rock could resurface and build toward a showdown with his cousin Reigns.
Tommy Fury Teases Interest in Joining WWE
Tommy Fury, a professional boxer and younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted at a potential future in WWE.
In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury showed footage of himself backstage during WWE’s recent UK tour. He praised several superstars he encountered, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, and expressed enthusiasm about possibly crossing into pro wrestling:
“So guys, that is a night at the WWE complete. All the wrestlers showing love. Big up to Randy Orton. Absolutely amazing guy. Big up to Cody Rhodes, all of them, Gunther, the lot of them. 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.”
Fury is undefeated in boxing at 10-0 and notably remains the only boxer to have defeated Jake Paul. Given his association with the Paul family, he could be a fitting future adversary for Logan Paul, currently a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion. A tag team featuring the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers could attract mainstream attention and broaden WWE’s audience.
Oba Femi Reportedly Absent from NXT Programming
Fightful Select reports that former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has been absent from NXT tapings for nearly a month. Femi has not appeared since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The reason for his disappearance is unclear; it might be a chance for him to regroup following two significant defeats. After debuting on NXT television in April 2023, Femi quickly rose to prominence by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship from Dragon Lee. Before his title loss to D’Angelo, Femi held the championship for a record 272 days.
While some speculate that Femi might be transitioning to WWE’s main roster or recovering from injury, it is also possible the creative team is resting him offscreen for storyline purposes. Upon his return, Femi is considered a prime contender for the NXT Championship and could be positioned to dethrone current champion Trick Williams.
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Photo Caption:
Roman Reigns and The Rock look back at the ring after their tag team victory against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 on April 6, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo via WWE/Getty Images)