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 developments from WWE, featuring exclusive insights from Roman Reigns, potential future plans for boxing star Tommy Fury in WWE, and the current status of rising NXT talent Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 Opponents and The Rock Match Possibility
Roman Reigns recently shared his thoughts on facing Cody Rhodes instead of The Rock in the main event of WrestleMania 40 during an interview on Sports Illustrated’s SI Media podcast with Jimmy Traina.
When asked about his feelings regarding the switch, Reigns made it clear that it wasn’t a disappointment to face Rhodes rather than The Rock. He emphasized his focus on being in the main event and defending his championship, stating, "It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with… It was the same task in hand for me." (via Ringside News)
The background to this situation involved Rhodes winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble but initially stating he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship. This led to the expectation that The Rock would replace Rhodes in headlining WrestleMania 40. However, negative fan reactions caused a last-minute change, with Rhodes reversing his stance and The Rock turning heel to team with Reigns as "The Final Boss."
Together, The Rock and Reigns defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, with Rhodes reclaiming the WWE title from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Regarding the highly anticipated Reigns vs. The Rock singles match, which did not take place at the event, Reigns hinted at the possibility of it happening in the future if the fans demand it strongly enough. He stated, "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 return last month at WWE’s Bad Blood event, though his intentions remain unclear. With a major WarGames match featuring both the new and original Bloodline factions scheduled for Survivor Series, speculation is rising about a potential new chapter involving The Rock and Reigns.
Tommy Fury Teases WWE Ambitions After UK WWE Tour
Boxing star Tommy Fury has recently expressed interest in potentially joining WWE. Posting on YouTube after attending a WWE show during their UK tour, Fury praised the wrestlers and hinted at the possibility of stepping inside the squared circle in the future.
In his video, Fury gave shout-outs to WWE superstars like Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, saying, “Thank you to WWE for showing us such appreciation. And I look forward to possibly climbing through those ropes one day. Who knows?” (via Ringside News)
The 25-year-old is well known in boxing with an undefeated record and is notably the younger brother of former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, who had a brief stint with WWE, including a match at Crown Jewel 2019 and a memorable interference at Clash at the Castle 2022. Given the ongoing relationship between Tyson Fury and WWE, as well as Tommy’s connections to the Paul family—known for their boxing and entertainment crossover—Tommy Fury could be a natural fit in WWE storylines, potentially including rivalries with Logan Paul and other crossover stars. The prospect of tag teams involving the Fury brothers versus the Paul brothers could attract a mainstream audience to WWE programming.
Oba Femi’s Absence From NXT Sparks Speculation
NXT star Oba Femi, former North American Champion, has been notably absent from NXT tapings for about a month.
Fightful Select reports (via Ringside News) that Femi has not been backstage seen since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The reason for this absence has not been disclosed.
Since debuting on televised NXT in April 2023, Femi impressed with a dominant run—winning the Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship by cashing in on Dragon Lee. Femi held the title for a record 272 days before losing it to D’Angelo, followed by a rematch defeat at Halloween Havoc.
His current absence could mean several things: WWE might be giving him time to recover from injuries, planning a future main roster call-up, or simply taking a break to allow his character to reset after consecutive losses.
Femi remains a strong contender for future NXT Championship opportunities and could be poised as the next challenger to dethrone current NXT Champion Trick Williams once he returns.
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Photo Caption: Roman Reigns and The Rock after defeating Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 6, 2024. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)