Roman Reigns Talks The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Future; NXT Updates on Oba Femi
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings the latest updates from the WWE Universe, including insights from Roman Reigns on his WrestleMania 40 matches, boxer Tommy Fury’s potential interest in WWE, and recent developments surrounding former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 and Possible Match with The Rock
In a recent interview on the SI Media podcast, WWE’s “Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns opened up about his experiences leading up to and during WrestleMania 40, focusing on his high-profile encounters with Cody Rhodes and The Rock.
When asked if he felt disappointed that he faced Rhodes instead of The Rock at WrestleMania 40, Reigns made it clear that being the main event was what mattered most to him.
“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,” Reigns said.
Following Cody Rhodes’ victory in the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, Rhodes initially announced he wouldn’t challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. This sparked fan speculation that The Rock would take that spot. Due to negative fan reactions to the change, Rhodes reversed his stance, and The Rock turned heel, adopting the persona "The Final Boss" and aligned with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, defeating Rhodes and Seth Rollins, but on Night 2, Rhodes defeated Reigns to claim the WWE Championship.
With the much-anticipated one-on-one match between Reigns and The Rock not happening at WrestleMania, interviewer Jimmy Traina asked if this could be possible in the future. Reigns expressed optimism, emphasizing the power of the WWE fanbase.
“I think our fanbase and the company’s proven that if our fans are loud enough and passionate enough about something… If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen,” Reigns noted.
The Rock made a surprise return to WWE programming last month at Bad Blood but has not publicly clarified his intentions or returned since. With a major WarGames match featuring both the new and original Bloodline set for Survivor Series, speculation is growing that The Rock could reappear to set the stage for an eventual showdown with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Hints at Possible WWE Career
Professional boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has teased an interest in exploring a career in WWE. In a recent YouTube video, Fury was seen backstage at WWE’s UK tour, where he interacted with top WWE Superstars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
“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 those ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night,” Fury said.
Tommy Fury holds a 10-0 professional boxing record and famously holds the distinction of being the only boxer to defeat YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. Given his ties to the Paul family and WWE Superstar Logan Paul, who is a former United States Champion, a storyline involving the Fury brothers and Paul brothers could attract mainstream fans.
His older brother Tyson had a brief WWE stint, winning a match against Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel 2019 and making an impact as a spectator at WWE Clash at the Castle in 2022. Tommy’s ties to WWE combined with his boxing credentials make him a plausible candidate for a future wrestling career.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Sparks Speculation
Oba Femi, former NXT North American Champion, has been notably absent from WWE’s NXT tapings for over a month, according to reports from Fightful Select. Since losing the North American title to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27, Femi has not appeared on NXT programming or been seen backstage.
A former University of Alabama shot put star, Femi made a strong NXT debut in April 2023. He won the NXT Breakout Tournament and captured the North American Championship from Dragon Lee, holding the title for a record-setting 272 days before his defeat.
His recent absence could be a strategic decision by NXT management to allow him time to regroup following back-to-back losses. There is also speculation it may be linked to a possible main roster call-up or injury recovery.
When Oba Femi returns, many see him as a prime contender to pursue the NXT Championship and possibly dethrone current champion Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for more updates from WWE and beyond as developments continue to unfold in the wrestling world.