Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Hints at WWE Ambitions; NXT’s Oba Femi Rumored Absent
By Mike Chiari | Bleacher Report | November 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest updates from the WWE Universe, covering insights from Roman Reigns, potential new talent in WWE, and current NXT developments.
Roman Reigns on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, and Cody Rhodes
During a recent interview on the SI Media podcast, Roman Reigns opened up about his experience leading up to WrestleMania 40 and shared his thoughts on both The Rock and Cody Rhodes. Speaking with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina at the 31:45 mark, Reigns addressed speculation about who he would face in the WrestleMania main event.
When asked if he was disappointed to face Cody Rhodes instead of The Rock in the marquee match, Reigns made it clear that his focus was on the opportunity, not the opponent. He stated, "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."
The backdrop to this was a complicated WrestleMania 40 booking shuffle, where Cody Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble but initially declined to challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship. This opened the door for The Rock’s potential return to challenge Reigns at the showcase event. However, fan backlash led to Rhodes reversing course and choosing to face Reigns, while The Rock turned heel as "The Final Boss," aligning with Reigns.
At WrestleMania 40, The Rock and Reigns teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Night 1 main event. The following night, Rhodes triumphed over Reigns to claim the WWE Championship.
Regarding the long-anticipated Reigns vs. The Rock singles match that many fans hoped to see at WrestleMania, Reigns suggested it could still 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. 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," he said.
He added, "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 unannounced return to WWE programming at Bad Blood last month but has not appeared since. With the upcoming WarGames match at Survivor Series featuring new and original versions of The Bloodline, many speculate The Rock could make another impactful appearance, possibly setting up future storylines with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Shows Interest in WWE
Boxer Tommy Fury revealed possible plans to join the pro wrestling world, potentially with WWE. In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury was seen backstage during WWE’s recent United Kingdom tour, interacting with wrestlers such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
Fury shared his enthusiasm, saying, "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."
At 25, Tommy is the younger brother of former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, who previously had a brief WWE stint, including a match at Crown Jewel 2019 and a noted appearance at Clash at the Castle 2022, where he stopped Austin Theory from cashing in the Money in the Bank contract.
Tommy Fury holds a professional boxing record of 10-0 and notably remains the only fighter to defeat Jake Paul. His potential in WWE could develop into intriguing storylines, particularly against Logan Paul, who is an active WWE Superstar and former United States Champion. A tag team match pitting the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers could capture mainstream attention and broaden WWE’s appeal.
Oba Femi Reportedly Missing from NXT
There have been reports indicating that former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has been absent from recent NXT tapings. According to Fightful Select, Femi has not been seen backstage at NXT since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The reasons for his absence are unclear. It could be a strategic hiatus following back-to-back significant losses or possibly related to injury. Since debuting on televised NXT in April 2023, Femi had a dominant run, winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing the North American Championship after defeating Dragon Lee. He held the title for an impressive 272 days before losing it to D’Angelo.
If Femi’s break from TV is temporary, speculation suggests he might be preparing for a main roster call-up or a new storyline on NXT. His return could see him positioned as a strong contender for the NXT Championship, potentially challenging current titleholder Trick Williams.
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Photo Caption: The Rock and Roman Reigns after their WrestleMania 40 tag team victory against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. (Photo Credit: WWE/Getty Images)