Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and WrestleMania 40; Tommy Fury Considers WWE Future; NXT’s Oba Femi Absent from TV
By Mike Chiari | November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest developments in the WWE Universe, including insights from Roman Reigns on key WrestleMania 40 matches, boxer Tommy Fury’s potential wrestling aspirations, and recent rumors surrounding NXT star Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns on WrestleMania 40 Opponents and Future Prospects with The Rock
During a Tuesday appearance on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, WWE Superstar Roman Reigns opened up about the build-up to WrestleMania 40, specifically addressing the shifting main event plans involving himself, Cody Rhodes, and The Rock.
Reigns revealed that despite WWE’s apparent back-and-forth over whether he would face The Rock or Cody Rhodes at the event, the exact opponent was secondary to being 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… 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 (via Ringside News).
Originally, after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he stated he would not challenge Reigns at WrestleMania, leading to speculation that The Rock would be Reigns’ opponent. However, following negative fan reactions, Rhodes reversed course, which resulted in The Rock turning heel—adopting the moniker “The Final Boss”—and forming an alliance with Reigns. Together, Reigns and The Rock defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Night 1 main event at WrestleMania 40, before Rhodes captured the WWE Championship from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Although the long-anticipated match between Reigns and The Rock did not materialize at WrestleMania 40, Reigns acknowledged the possibility of such a showdown in the future. “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen.” He added that WWE listens to its passionate fanbase and aims to satisfy their desires.
The Rock shocked fans with an unannounced return at the recent Bad Blood event but has yet to clarify his intentions or make further appearances. With the upcoming Survivor Series featuring a WarGames match pitting the new and original versions of The Bloodline against each other, speculation grows that The Rock might re-emerge to set the stage for a future match against his cousin.
Tommy Fury Teases WWE Interest Following Backstage Visit
Boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, hinted this week at a possible future within WWE. Posting on YouTube after attending a WWE show during the company’s UK tour, Tommy shared backstage footage where he connected with multiple WWE Superstars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
He expressed appreciation toward WWE for their hospitality and left the door open for wrestling in the future: “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night,” Fury said (via Ringside News).
Tommy maintains an undefeated professional boxing record and is notably the only person to defeat Jake Paul, providing interesting potential storylines given his association with the Paul family. Considering Logan Paul’s established role as a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion, a future rivalry or even tag team encounter between the Fury brothers and the Paul brothers could attract mainstream attention.
Tyson Fury himself previously dabbled in WWE, competing at Crown Jewel 2019 and causing disruption at Clash at the Castle 2022 by knocking out Austin Theory in the crowd.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Programming: What’s Next for the Former North American Champion?
In other WWE news, former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has not been seen on NXT television or at backstage tapings for several weeks, according to Fightful Select sources (reported by Ringside News).
Femi’s last televised appearance was his loss to Tony D’Angelo at NXT Halloween Havoc on October 27, where he dropped the North American Championship after a record 272-day reign. He subsequently lost a rematch to D’Angelo, and since then, there have been no reports about his presence backstage.
While the reason for Femi’s absence remains unclear, possible explanations include a temporary reset following his two significant losses, an injury, or preparation for a call-up to WWE’s main roster. Given his strong run since debuting on NXT in April 2023—highlighted by winning the Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American title—Femi could be positioned for a return featuring a chase for the NXT Championship, potentially dethroning current titleholder Trick Williams.
For continuous updates and in-depth analysis on WWE and professional wrestling, listen to the latest episodes of Ring Rust Radio.
© 2024 Bleacher Report. All rights reserved.