Roman Reigns Opens Up on The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and WrestleMania 40; Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Interest; Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Raises Questions
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 WrestleMania 40, a potential WWE future for boxer Tommy Fury, and the recent absence of NXT star Oba Femi.
Roman Reigns Discusses The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and WrestleMania 40
Roman Reigns recently appeared on the SI Media podcast with Jimmy Traina to discuss various aspects of his WWE career, including the main event of WrestleMania 40 and the possibility of a future match against The Rock.
Reigns reflected on the mixed anticipation ahead of WrestleMania 40, where the main event booking swayed between him facing either Cody Rhodes or The Rock. When asked if he was disappointed to face Rhodes instead of The Rock, Reigns emphatically said the opponent didn’t matter as long as he was main-eventing:
"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… They are trying to stop history from happening."
At WrestleMania 40, The Rock and Reigns teamed up in the Night 1 main event to defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins, with Rhodes ultimately capturing the WWE Championship from Reigns on Night 2. The much-anticipated Rock vs. Reigns dream match, however, did not materialize during the event.
Traina inquired if Reigns foresees a future showdown with The Rock. The “Tribal Chief” said that while WWE has a vision, fan passion can influence booking decisions:
"I think our fanbase and the company’s proven that if our fans are loud enough and passionate enough about something… 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 unexpected WWE return at the recent Bad Blood event but has yet to clarify his plans since. With a major WarGames match featuring the Bloodline factions scheduled for Survivor Series, many speculate the stage could be set for The Rock’s reappearance and possible build-up to a future clash with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Teases Potential WWE Career
British professional boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted at exploring a future in WWE following his backstage visit during WWE’s recent UK tour.
In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury expressed appreciation for the WWE roster and the chance to get a close look at the wrestling business:
"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, currently undefeated in his professional boxing career and notably the only person to defeat Jake Paul as of 2024, could be a compelling addition to WWE’s roster. Given his connections with the Paul family and his brother Tyson’s past WWE involvement—including Tyson’s 2019 Crown Jewel match and 2022 Clash at the Castle appearance—a future wrestling career seems plausible.
WWE could leverage potential sibling or rivalry storylines involving the Fury and Paul families, attracting attention from both mainstream sports and wrestling audiences.
Oba Femi’s Mysterious Absence from NXT
NXT standout and former North American Champion Oba Femi has reportedly been absent from all NXT tapings for over a month, according to reports from Fightful Select.
Femi, who debuted on NXT television in April 2023, quickly made a name for himself by winning the Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship from Dragon Lee. He held the title an impressive 272 days before dropping it to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. Femi then lost a rematch to D’Angelo at the same event.
Since then, Femi has not appeared on NXT programming or backstage for tapings, with no official explanation provided for his absence. Possible reasons include a needed break following two significant losses, injury downtime, or preparation for a call-up to WWE’s main roster.
When Femi returns, many expect him to contend for the NXT Championship and potentially dethrone the current titleholder, Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report and Ring Rust Radio for the latest in WWE news, rumors, and in-depth analysis.
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Photo credit: WWE/Getty Images, April 6, 2024 – The Rock and Roman Reigns after their WrestleMania 40 Night 1 victory