Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Opportunity; NXT Rumors Surround Oba Femi
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report — November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, including insights from Roman Reigns on his WrestleMania 40 experiences and future prospects, Tommy Fury’s budding interest in professional wrestling, and developments surrounding NXT star Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Shares Thoughts on The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and WrestleMania 40
During a recent appearance on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, WWE’s "Original Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns opened up about his WrestleMania 40 main event scenario, which saw him face Cody Rhodes instead of his real-life cousin The Rock as initially anticipated.
Reigns explained that the identity of his opponent didn’t matter 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. 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.”
Following Cody Rhodes’ win in the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, fans expected Rhodes to challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. However, after Rhodes initially declined to challenge for the title and The Rock was teased for the spot, fan backlash caused a reversal, leading to The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss” and aligning with Reigns. The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of the event. On Night 2, Rhodes triumphed over Reigns to claim the WWE Championship.
Addressing the highly anticipated but unrealized Rock vs. Reigns matchup, Reigns said a future meeting could happen if the fans make it loud and clear that they want 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… 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 unannounced return to WWE programming at Bad Blood last month but has yet to clarify his intentions. With the upcoming WarGames match at Survivor Series involving The Bloodline factions, speculation mounts about The Rock possibly reappearing and setting the stage for a future showdown with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Teases Potential WWE Career
Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, hinted at a potential WWE future after spending time backstage at WWE’s recent UK tour.
In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury shared his experience meeting WWE Superstars including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther. He expressed appreciation toward WWE and teased the possibility of stepping into the wrestling ring:
“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, holds a perfect 10–0 professional boxing record and notably defeated Jake Paul. Given his existing connections to the Paul family and his own rising profile, Fury could be a compelling addition to WWE, potentially aligning with storylines involving Logan Paul, a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion. A tag team feud featuring the Fury and Paul brothers could attract widespread mainstream interest, making WWE likely to consider Tommy Fury for future opportunities.
NXT’s Oba Femi Absent from Recent Tapings
Reports have surfaced indicating that former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has been absent from NXT tapings over the past month. According to Fightful Select, there have been no sightings or backstage reports of Femi since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The reasons for Femi’s absence remain unclear. It’s possible he is taking time off to regroup following two significant losses—the dethroning as North American Champion after a 272-day reign and a subsequent rematch defeat. Since debuting on NXT television in April 2023, Femi quickly rose through the ranks by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American title from Dragon Lee.
While speculation abounds that Femi could be preparing for a main roster call-up or recovering from injury, it may equally be a strategic move by NXT management to let the impact of his losses settle before reintroducing him. When Femi returns, many consider him a strong contender for the NXT Championship, potentially positioned to challenge and dethrone current titleholder Trick Williams.
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