Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Considers WWE Future; NXT’s Oba Femi Missing from TV
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report’s WWE coverage this week highlights key insights from Roman Reigns on WrestleMania 40, a potential new arrival in WWE from the boxing world, and speculation surrounding an NXT star’s recent absence.
Roman Reigns Opens Up About WrestleMania 40 and Matchups with The Rock and Cody Rhodes
Roman Reigns recently spoke candidly on the SI Media podcast with Jimmy Traina about the evolving plans leading up to WrestleMania 40. At one point, Reigns was slated to face either The Rock or Cody Rhodes in the event’s main event, and he shared that the specific opponent never impacted his mindset.
Asked if he was disappointed to miss out on a match against The Rock, Reigns said:
“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 at hand for me.”
This came after Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble but initially declared he wouldn’t challenge Reigns at WrestleMania. The Rock appeared to be the leading challenger until fan backlash prompted a change: Rhodes and Reigns met at WrestleMania’s Night 2, where Rhodes ultimately claimed the WWE Championship, while Night 1 featured The Rock and Reigns teaming up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
When asked about the possibility of a future showdown between Reigns and The Rock, Roman remained optimistic but pragmatic, stating:
“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 made a surprise appearance at Bad Blood last month but has yet to clarify his plans. With Survivor Series having The Bloodline factions battling in a WarGames match, many speculate The Rock could return, sparking the buildup for a legendary clash with his cousin, Roman Reigns.
Boxer Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Ambitions
Boxing star Tommy Fury has publicly hinted he might explore a pro wrestling career, possibly with WWE. In a YouTube video posted during WWE’s recent UK tour, Fury shared footage backstage interacting with WWE Superstars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
He expressed excitement about the experience:
“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 those ropes one day. Who knows? But it’s been a great night.”
Tommy Fury comes from a notable boxing family—he is the younger brother of Tyson Fury, former world heavyweight champion, who had a one-off WWE match at Crown Jewel 2019 and has been involved in WWE-related events since. Tommy is 25 years old, undefeated professionally at 10-0, and is the only boxer to have defeated Jake Paul.
Given his ties to the Paul family and their existing WWE presence—Logan Paul being a current WWE Superstar and former United States Champion—Tommy Fury could be positioned uniquely to join WWE and even engage in storylines involving the Paul brothers. WWE would likely be interested in leveraging this mainstream crossover appeal.
NXT Star Oba Femi Not Seen Since October, Future Uncertain
In NXT news, former North American Champion Oba Femi has been noticeably absent from recent tapings and television since October 27’s Halloween Havoc event. According to Fightful Select and reported via Ringside News, Femi has not been backstage or featured on NXT programming following his loss to Tony D’Angelo, which ended his record-setting 272-day title reign.
Reasons for his absence remain unclear. It may be a strategic decision to give Femi time to recover after two losses or to prepare him for a possible main roster call-up. Alternatively, it could be simple creative pacing, allowing the impact of his two setbacks to diminish before reintegrating him into storylines.
Since debuting on NXT in April 2023, Femi gained recognition by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American title from Dragon Lee. Upon his eventual return, many insiders expect him to be a frontrunner in the NXT Championship picture and a credible challenger to current champion Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report and Ring Rust Radio for ongoing WWE updates and insights on your favorite wrestling and sports topics.