Roman Reigns Reflects on The Rock, Cody Rhodes Rivalry; Tommy Fury Shows WWE Interest; Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Sparks Speculation
The WWE Universe continues to buzz with developments involving some of its top stars and promising talents. Recent insights from Roman Reigns, a potential WWE pursuit by boxing star Tommy Fury, and questions surrounding NXT wrestler Oba Femi’s recent absence have captured fans’ attention. Here’s a detailed look at the latest updates.
Roman Reigns Opens Up About WrestleMania 40 and The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes
During an interview on the Sports Illustrated Media podcast, Roman Reigns shared his thoughts on the high-profile main event situation at WrestleMania 40, which saw him face Cody Rhodes instead of his cousin, The Rock. The build-up to WrestleMania 40 originally teased a monumental Reigns versus The Rock matchup, a dream bout for many fans. However, after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he initially appeared set to skip challenging Reigns at WrestleMania and instead paved the way for The Rock to step into the title picture.
Reigns described his mindset during the period when WWE was switching between potential challengers. He stressed that being in the main event was what mattered most to him regardless of the opponent. As he put it, "It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with. It’s where we just need to get there and defend this thing."
The situation briefly caused confusion and mixed reactions among fans, which prompted an interesting turn of events: The Rock turned heel, adopting the new persona of "The Final Boss" and aligned himself with Reigns. Together, they defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Night 1 main event of WrestleMania 40, with Rhodes eventually reclaiming the WWE Championship by beating Reigns on Night 2. Asked about the possibility of a future match with The Rock, Reigns expressed openness, contingent on fan interest. “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen,” he noted, emphasizing WWE’s responsiveness to its audience.
The Rock, who made a surprise return at the Bad Blood event last month but has not yet indicated his next steps, could potentially re-enter the scene at the upcoming Survivor Series. The event features an intense WarGames match involving The Bloodline, which could serve as an ideal platform for The Rock’s return and possible renewed rivalry with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Ambitions Following UK Tour
Young British boxer Tommy Fury, known as the undefeated sibling of heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, has shown interest in crossing over into professional wrestling with WWE. In a behind-the-scenes video shared on his YouTube channel, Fury documented his experience backstage during WWE’s recent United Kingdom tour. The clip captured him interacting with WWE stars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
Expressing gratitude for the warm welcome, Fury hinted at a potential future inside the squared circle, saying, “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows?”
Tommy Fury has carved out a strong boxing career himself, boasting a perfect 10-0 record and holding the distinction as the only boxer to defeat Jake Paul. His familial ties and past connections to prominent YouTubers and fighters give him a unique potential for compelling WWE storylines—possibly even a tag team feud involving the Fury and Paul brothers.
Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Sparks Rumors and Speculation
On the NXT front, former North American Champion Oba Femi has been notably absent from recent episodes and tapings following his title loss. Reports from Fightful Select confirm that Femi has not been backstage at NXT since his defeat to Tony D’Angelo at the Halloween Havoc event on October 27, 2024. Femi’s sudden absence is a mystery: it could be due to personal time off, injury recovery, or a storyline decision to let his recent setbacks settle with the audience. The young star’s journey has been impressive since debuting in April 2023—he quickly won the Breakout Tournament and captured the North American Championship, which he held for a record 272 days.
If and when he returns to NXT programming, the consensus is that Femi is well-positioned to challenge for the NXT Championship and could be the next top contender to dethrone the current champion, Trick Williams.
Stay tuned as the WWE Universe keeps evolving with these intriguing storylines and emerging talents on the horizon.
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