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 you the latest happenings in the WWE Universe, featuring insights from Roman Reigns on his WrestleMania 40 opponents, boxer Tommy Fury’s budding interest in professional wrestling, and recent rumors surrounding NXT star Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns, the current WWE powerhouse and “Tribal Chief,” recently sat down for an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina. During the conversation, Reigns addressed his WrestleMania 40 main event experience, discussing the dynamic shift between facing The Rock and Cody Rhodes.
Reigns expressed a focus on the bigger picture, rather than the specific opponent: “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with… 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.”
Originally, after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble men’s match, expectations leaned toward a showdown with The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. However, Rhodes initially announced he wouldn’t challenge Reigns, and The Rock appeared set for the title match. Fan response led to a dramatic shift: Rhodes reversed course, and The Rock turned heel—now known as The Final Boss—aligning with Reigns. Subsequently, The Rock and Reigns joined forces to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the night one main event at WrestleMania 40, with Rhodes reclaiming the WWE Championship from Reigns the following night.
The much-anticipated Reigns vs. The Rock one-on-one match did not materialize at WrestleMania 40, but Reigns hinted at a future possibility if the fans show enough enthusiasm: “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.”
The Rock made a surprise WWE appearance last month at Bad Blood but has yet to clarify his intentions. With the ongoing conflict involving the new and original Bloodline factions slated for a WarGames match at this weekend’s Survivor Series, speculation grows that The Rock could re-emerge and set the stage for a family clash with his cousin.
Boxer Tommy Fury Explores Potential WWE Career
In other WWE-related news, professional boxer Tommy Fury has hinted at possible future involvement with WWE. Fury, 25, famously the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (who previously dabbled with WWE), shared a YouTube video from backstage during WWE’s recent UK tour.
In the video, he mingled with WWE stars such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, praising the organization and expressing openness to a wrestling career: “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 holds an undefeated professional boxing record and is notably the only boxer to defeat Jake Paul. Given his connections to the Paul family, there is speculation that Fury could be positioned as a wrestling adversary for Logan Paul, who is currently an active WWE Superstar and a former United States Champion. The prospect of a “Fury brothers vs. Paul brothers” matchup carries substantial mainstream appeal, positioning Tommy as a valuable potential asset to WWE’s crossover star power.
NXT Star Oba Femi’s Recent Absence Sparks Rumors
On the NXT front, notable wrestler Oba Femi has not been seen at NXT tapings for over a month, according to Fightful Select. His absence follows his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The underlying reasons remain unclear—whether due to injury, storyline reset, or other factors.
Femi’s trajectory in NXT had been impressive since his April 2023 debut, highlighted by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship from Dragon Lee. He held the title for a record-setting 272 days before losing it to D’Angelo. After also dropping a rematch at Halloween Havoc, Femi has been off television.
Industry watchers suggest that Femi could be taking time off to regroup following consecutive losses or potentially preparing for a main roster call-up. Alternatively, NXT creatives might be holding him out to reintroduce him strongly later. His skill set and past achievements make him a key candidate for future NXT Championship pursuits—possibly setting up a title run against current champion Trick Williams upon his return.
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