Roman Reigns Talks The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Spot; NXT Rumors on Oba Femi
By Mike Chiari – Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
The WWE Universe has been buzzing with fresh developments involving some of the biggest names in professional wrestling. Roman Reigns recently opened up about his WrestleMania 40 encounters with Cody Rhodes and The Rock, while boxing star Tommy Fury hinted at a potential WWE future. Additionally, rumors swirl around NXT’s Oba Femi, who has been notably absent from recent programming. Here’s a detailed update on these stories and what they could mean for WWE fans.
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 and The Rock Match Possibility
Roman Reigns sat down with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast Tuesday, offering insights into the shifting WrestleMania 40 landscape. Initially slated to either face The Rock or Cody Rhodes, backstage discussions reportedly wavered before finalizing Rhodes as his opponent.
When asked if he was disappointed not to face his cousin The Rock, Reigns dismissed the concern, emphasizing his pride in remaining the main event star.
"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. We just need to get there and defend this thing," Reigns said. "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."
The switch initially came after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble but declared he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. Instead, it appeared that The Rock would take that spot, but negative fan reaction led to Rhodes reversing course, The Rock turning heel as “The Final Boss,” and aligning with Reigns. Together, The Rock and Reigns defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Night 1 main event, only for Rhodes to capture the WWE title from Reigns on Night 2. Despite the anticipated Reigns versus The Rock match not materializing at WrestleMania 40, Reigns acknowledged the potential for it to happen in the future:
"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… 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 at last month’s WWE Bad Blood event but has not appeared since. With the Bloodline factions set for a WarGames match at Survivor Series, many eyes will be on whether The Rock will re-emerge to set the stage for a future showdown with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Career Possibility Amid Boxing Success
British professional boxer Tommy Fury, known for his undefeated 10-0 record and notable victory over Jake Paul, teased the possibility of entering professional wrestling.
During a YouTube video from WWE’s recent UK tour, Fury showcased his backstage visits with WWE superstars including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther. He expressed gratitude towards WWE and left the door open on potentially stepping into the squared circle:
"It’s been a great night. I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows?"
Fury is the younger brother of Tyson Fury, a former world heavyweight boxing champion who has had sporadic involvement with WWE in the past, including a match at Crown Jewel 2019 and a high-profile crowd incident at Clash at the Castle 2022. Given Tommy’s connections — including ties to the Paul brothers, with Logan Paul currently part of WWE — speculation is rife about potential storylines or matches pitting the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers, a prospect sure to attract mainstream attention and fresh audiences to WWE programming.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Sparks Speculation
Oba Femi, the former NXT North American Champion and breakout star, has not been seen on NXT television for over a month following his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. Fightful Select reports no signs of Femi at recent NXT tapings, leaving the reasons behind his absence unclear. Some speculate it could be to allow Femi time to regroup after back-to-back losses or to prepare him for a main roster call-up.
Femi made an impressive debut year in 2023, capturing the NXT Breakout Tournament and swiftly transitioning into North American Championship gold with a 272-day reign — the longest ever for that title. His recent losses and hiatus have led to questions about his next direction.
Industry insiders suggest that Femi could be positioning himself for a future run targeting the NXT Championship, especially poised as a credible challenger to the current champion Trick Williams once he returns to action.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report and Ring Rust Radio for the latest wrestling news and in-depth discussions on these ongoing WWE storylines.