Roman Reigns Shares Thoughts on The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Expresses Interest in WWE; NXT Update on Oba Femi
The WWE Universe has been abuzz with recent developments involving some of pro wrestling’s biggest names. From Roman Reigns reflecting on his WrestleMania 40 main event and potential future matches, to rising star Tommy Fury hinting at a WWE career, and intriguing news surrounding NXT’s Oba Femi, here’s a detailed look at the latest buzz in professional wrestling.
Roman Reigns on WrestleMania 40 Opponents and The Rock Match Potential
Roman Reigns recently appeared on the Sports Illustrated Media podcast, where he spoke candidly about his WrestleMania 40 experience and the shifting plans that had him facing Cody Rhodes instead of The Rock in the main event.
When asked by interviewer Jimmy Traina whether he was disappointed not to face The Rock, Reigns was clear that the identity of his opponent didn’t matter as much as the opportunity to compete 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,” Reigns explained.
This remark came in reference to the storyline changes during build-up to WrestleMania 40, when after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, initial reports suggested he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship. That fuelled speculation that The Rock, Reigns’ longtime cousin and wrestling legend, would step in instead.
However, negative fan feedback led to a reversal of that decision. Cody Rhodes later committed to challenging Reigns, which coincided with The Rock turning heel and adopting the new persona “The Final Boss.” The Rock then aligned with Reigns, and the cousins teamed up to defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Night 1 main event at WrestleMania 40. On Night 2, Rhodes defeated Reigns for the WWE title.
Asked about a future one-on-one match with The Rock, Reigns expressed openness, conditioned on fan demand: “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.”
Though The Rock made an unannounced return at WWE’s Bad Blood event last month, he has yet to clarify his intentions or appear since. With a major WarGames match at Survivor Series featuring The Bloodline factions upcoming, speculation is ripe that The Rock could resurface soon to rekindle family rivalry against Reigns.
Tommy Fury Teases Potential WWE Career
25-year-old British professional boxer Tommy Fury, known for his unbeaten 10-0 record and for being the only fighter to defeat social media star Jake Paul, surprised fans with recent comments suggesting he may pursue professional wrestling, particularly with WWE.
Fury posted a YouTube video documenting his backstage visit during WWE’s recent UK tour. He expressed enthusiasm for the wrestlers and the event, giving shoutouts to stars including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
“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,” Fury said.
Tommy is the younger brother of Tyson Fury, former world heavyweight boxing champion, who previously dabbled in WWE with a high-profile match against Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel 2019 and a notable crowd-side moment at WWE Clash at the Castle 2022. Given Tommy’s boxing credentials, his public connections to the Paul family—whose member Logan Paul is currently a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion—and his charisma, he’s considered a promising candidate for crossover appeal in WWE. Fans speculate that bouts or even tag team matches involving the Fury and Paul brothers could be compelling draws for WWE’s increasingly mainstream audience.
Oba Femi’s Mysterious Absence from NXT Programming
Recent reports indicate that Oba Femi, the former NXT North American Champion, has been absent from NXT tapings and storylines over the past month. According to Fightful Select and other wrestling news sources, no backstage sightings or activity for Femi have been noted since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27, 2024. While no official explanation has been given, there is speculation that this hiatus could involve giving the star time to regroup following consecutive losses—a surprise title loss to D’Angelo ended his record 272-day NXT North American Championship reign, followed by a defeat in the immediate rematch.
Since debuting on televised NXT in April 2023, Femi enjoyed a meteoric rise, highlighted by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American title from Dragon Lee. His current absence has left fans wondering if he might be preparing for a call-up to WWE’s main roster, resting due to injury, or being positioned creatively to return towards a run at the NXT Championship, possibly to challenge current titleholder Trick Williams.
With his athletic background as a former University of Alabama shot put star and his proven in-ring abilities, Oba Femi’s next move will be watched closely by the WWE faithful.
Stay Tuned
To keep up with these stories and other breaking news from both WWE and the broader wrestling world, fans can follow Bleacher Report’s WWE coverage and listen to podcasts like Ring Rust Radio for in-depth analysis and discussions on all the hottest wrestling topics.
As WWE continues shaping storylines and talent directions for the coming months, the potential for dream matches, surprising debuts, and captivating rivalries remains high.