Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Future; NXT Update on Oba Femi
Bleacher Report brings the latest updates from the WWE Universe, including insights from Roman Reigns regarding his WrestleMania 40 matches, potential future bouts involving The Rock, boxing star Tommy Fury’s interest in WWE, and recent rumors surrounding NXT standout Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Discusses WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
During a recent appearance on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, Roman Reigns opened up about his WrestleMania 40 experience and his thoughts on facing Cody Rhodes and potentially The Rock in the future.
Reigns spoke candidly about the shifting main event plans leading up to the event, where WWE appeared torn between having Reigns face either The Rock or Cody Rhodes. When asked if he was disappointed to face Rhodes instead of the WWE legend, Reigns expressed that it did not matter to him as long as he was in the main event spotlight.
“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,” Reigns said. “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.”
Initially, after Rhodes’ victory in the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he announced he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40, which led to anticipation that The Rock would fill that role. However, due to negative fan reaction to the change, Rhodes reversed his stance days later. This resulted in The Rock turning heel, adopting the persona “The Final Boss,” and aligning with Reigns.
At WrestleMania 40, The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1. In a twist, Rhodes captured the WWE Championship by beating Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Regarding a future match between himself and The Rock, Reigns indicated it remains a possibility if the WWE fanbase shows enough passion for it.
“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,” Reigns explained. “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 impromptu return at last month’s Bad Blood event but has yet to clarify his intentions or have a continued presence. With upcoming high-stakes matches such as the Bloodline WarGames at Survivor Series, fans may see another return from The Rock as storylines continue to develop.
Tommy Fury Teases WWE Involvement
The younger brother of former heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, Tommy Fury, has hinted at possible future involvement in WWE, blending his boxing fame with pro wrestling exposure.
Fury posted a YouTube video showing his time backstage at a recent WWE UK tour stop, where he mingled with WWE superstars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther. In the video, Fury expressed appreciation for the WWE community and excitement at the prospect of stepping inside the squared circle someday.
“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 said.
Tommy Fury, boasting a perfect professional boxing record and known for being the only fighter to defeat Jake Paul, could present intriguing matchups in WWE. Given his connection to the Paul family, a storyline involving Tommy and Logan Paul—a current WWE Superstar and former United States Champion—could appeal to mainstream audiences. Such sibling rivalry-themed tag team matches might be on WWE’s radar.
NXT Rumors: Oba Femi’s Recent Absence
On the developmental side, reports from Fightful Select indicate that Oba Femi, former NXT North American Champion, has been notably absent from recent NXT tapings over the past month.
Femi has not appeared on NXT episodes since his October 27 loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc, where he lost the North American title, ending a record 272-day reign. He also lost a rematch to D’Angelo at the same event.
While the reason for his absence is undisclosed, it may be a pause to reset after consecutive losses or possibly due to injury. Alternatively, the NXT creative team might be holding him off TV to allow the losses’ impact to settle.
Having debuted in April 2023, Femi quickly rose to prominence by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship. When he returns, he could be a strong contender for the NXT Championship and potentially challenge the current titleholder, Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report and Ring Rust Radio for ongoing wrestling news and updates.