Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 Opponents, Tommy Fury Considers WWE Future, and Oba Femi’s Unexplained NXT Absence
By Mike Chiari | November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, including insights from Roman Reigns, potential new WWE talent Tommy Fury, and rumors surrounding NXT star Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Shares Thoughts on The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and WrestleMania 40
During a recent interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns opened up about his WrestleMania 40 journey, particularly his involvement in the main event against Cody Rhodes instead of The Rock.
When asked if he was disappointed not to face The Rock, Reigns was clear that it did not matter to him who the opponent was, as long as he was main eventing and defending his title.
“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.”
The storyline around WrestleMania 40 evolved dramatically after Cody Rhodes won the men’s 2024 Royal Rumble and initially stated he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship. At that time, it looked like The Rock would fill that role, but due to negative fan reactions, Rhodes reversed his decision, leading The Rock to turn heel as "The Final Boss" and align with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up on Night 1 to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins, before Rhodes captured the WWE Championship from Reigns in Night 2’s main event.
Traina also inquired about the possibility of a future Reigns vs. The Rock singles match. Reigns indicated that fans’ passion would drive WWE’s decisions.
“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.”
He added: “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 a surprise WWE return last month at Bad Blood but has not yet clarified his intentions or appeared since. With the ongoing conflict between the new and original Bloodline factions set for a WarGames match at Survivor Series, speculation mounts that The Rock could reappear and potentially commence a storyline leading to a face-off with his cousin, Reigns.
Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Aspirations
British boxer Tommy Fury, brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted this week that he might pursue a career in professional wrestling with WWE.
Fury shared a YouTube video showing himself backstage at a WWE event during the company’s UK tour. He expressed admiration for the WWE roster and showed enthusiasm for the idea of entering the wrestling world:
“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.”
Tommy Fury, 25, is unbeaten in professional boxing with a 10-0 record and is notably the only boxer to defeat Jake Paul. Given Tommy’s connections to the Paul family and WWE’s history of featuring celebrity athletes, particularly Tyson Fury’s past WWE appearance in 2019, there is significant intrigue about how Tommy might fit into WWE storylines. A rivalry or team-up involving the Fury brothers and the Paul brothers could attract mainstream attention and broaden WWE’s audience.
Oba Femi’s Mysterious NXT Absence
Former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has not appeared at NXT tapings for about a month, sparking speculation about his status.
Fightful Select reports that Femi has not been backstage since his title loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The reason for his absence is unclear, with possibilities ranging from an injury to a planned storyline break.
Since debuting on televised NXT in April 2023, Femi had established himself as a dominant force—winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and securing the North American Championship after cashing in on Dragon Lee. However, he experienced his first televised defeat when he dropped the title to D’Angelo last month and subsequently lost the rematch at Halloween Havoc.
While the absence could suggest preparations for a call-up to WWE’s main roster, it might also be to allow time for Femi to recover from his losses and reset his character. If and when he returns, Femi is expected to remain a prominent figure in WWE’s development brand or even beyond.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of WWE and the latest developments across the wrestling world.