Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE; NXT’s Oba Femi Absent
By Mike Chiari – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, covering Roman Reigns’ candid thoughts on his WrestleMania 40 main event, boxing star Tommy Fury’s interest in WWE, and intriguing developments surrounding NXT’s Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Opens Up on Facing Cody Rhodes Instead of The Rock at WrestleMania 40
Roman Reigns shared his perspective on the main event booking of WrestleMania 40 during an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina. The “Original Tribal Chief” spoke about the back-and-forth decision-making between having him face The Rock or Cody Rhodes in WWE’s biggest annual event.
When asked if he was disappointed not to face The Rock, Reigns shrugged off the concern, emphasizing the significance of simply being in the WrestleMania main event:
“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 leading up to WrestleMania 40 saw Cody Rhodes winning the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble but initially opting not to challenge Reigns. This sparked speculation that The Rock was set to main event against Reigns. However, following fan backlash, Rhodes reversed his stance, leading to The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss” and aligning with Reigns himself. The Rock and Reigns teamed to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1, while Rhodes went on to capture the WWE Championship from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Looking ahead, Reigns was asked about the possibility of a future match against The Rock, a dream matchup many WWE fans long to see:
“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 quietly returned to WWE programming last month at Bad Blood, but his intent remains unclear as he hasn’t made any further appearances. With the ongoing family drama unfolding in The Bloodline storyline – culminating in a WarGames match at Survivor Series – many speculate this could be an ideal setting for The Rock to re-emerge and spark a feud with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Ambitions Following Backstage Visit
Boxing sensation Tommy Fury has dropped hints that he may be interested in stepping into the wrestling world with WWE. Speaking on his YouTube channel after attending a WWE UK event, Fury expressed admiration for WWE superstars and hinted at a future in professional 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.”
Tommy Fury, 25, is the younger brother of former heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, who has dabbled in WWE himself. Tyson’s sole WWE match came at Crown Jewel 2019, and he recently made headlines for an unexpected backstage incident at Clash at the Castle 2022. Tommy is undefeated in boxing and notably holds a victory over influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul, sparking speculation that Tommy’s WWE involvement could kick off a high-profile feud with Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, who is a current WWE Superstar and former United States Champion. Such a “Fury brothers vs. Paul brothers” storyline could garner mainstream attention and boost WWE’s profile.
NXT Star Oba Femi Absent Following Title Loss
NXT’s former North American Champion, Oba Femi, has been noticeably absent from NXT television and tapings for roughly a month, according to Fightful Select. Following his defeat to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27, Femi has not been seen backstage or featured in recent NXT episodes.
Though no official reason has been given for the absence, speculation ranges from a potential injury or an impending main roster call-up to a booking strategy aimed at allowing Femi to recover from consecutive losses. Since his April 2023 debut, Femi enjoyed a dominant run, winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American title with a record 272-day reign before losing it last month.
Upon his return, many believe Femi will be positioned as a top contender for the NXT Championship, and he could be the prime candidate to dethrone current champion Trick Williams, continuing his rise within WWE’s developmental brand.
For more insider updates and discussions on wrestling’s hottest topics, check out the latest episode of Ring Rust Radio. Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for ongoing WWE news and analysis.
Photo Caption: The Rock and Roman Reigns after their WrestleMania 40 victory over Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins (WWE/Getty Images)