Reigns Talks The Rock and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE; NXT Updates on Oba Femi
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report — November 27, 2024
The WWE Universe has plenty to discuss lately, from high-profile WrestleMania main event reflections to intriguing potential superstar signings and fresh developments in NXT. Here’s a breakdown of the latest news and rumors in professional wrestling:
Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 Main Event Against Cody Rhodes and The Rock
Roman Reigns sat down for an interview on the SI Media podcast with Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, where he offered candid thoughts about the shifting plans for WrestleMania 40’s main event. Initially, it appeared Reigns would face The Rock, leading to much anticipation for a dream match between these two iconic cousins. However, the eventual main event featured Reigns defending the WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes instead.
When asked if he was disappointed not to face The Rock, Reigns expressed that the exact opponent wasn’t his main concern — being in the main event was what mattered most:
"It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with. It didn’t matter who it was,” Reigns stated. He described the challenge as stopping a historic reign and emphasized that both Rhodes and The Rock represented formidable threats.
Following Rhodes’ unexpected decision not to immediately challenge Reigns after winning the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble — and the subsequent fan backlash — The Rock turned heel and formed an alliance with Reigns. Together, The Rock and Reigns defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Night 1 main event at WrestleMania 40. The following night, Rhodes triumphed over Reigns to claim the WWE title.
Looking ahead, Reigns didn’t rule out a future match against The Rock, stating that if fans loudly demand it and The Rock—the People’s Champion—is interested, WWE could certainly make it happen:
"If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen."
The Rock’s surprise return at last month’s Bad Blood event hinted at potential future storylines. With the Bloodline factions set to clash in a WarGames match at Survivor Series, a renewed build toward a Rock vs. Reigns confrontation seems plausible.
Tommy Fury Hints at Possible WWE Future
Boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, recently shared his enthusiasm after attending a WWE event during the company’s UK tour. In a YouTube video capturing his backstage experience with WWE stars such as Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther, Fury expressed openness to crossing into pro wrestling:
"I look forward to possibly climbing through those ropes one day. Who knows?" he said, praising the hospitality and camaraderie during his WWE visit.
Tommy Fury, boasting an undefeated 10-0 boxing record and notable for being the only fighter to defeat Jake Paul, has a natural connection to WWE through his brother Tyson. Tyson Fury famously had a one-off match at Crown Jewel 2019 and has made sporadic WWE appearances, including a memorable moment at Clash at the Castle 2022 when he incapacitated Austin Theory.
Given Tommy’s ties to the Paul brothers—Logan Paul being a WWE superstar—the possibility of cross-promotional storylines or matches involving the Fury and Paul families holds mainstream appeal. WWE insiders are likely to consider bringing Tommy Fury in as a fresh attraction.
NXT Update: Oba Femi’s Recent Absence Raises Questions
Former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has been notably absent from recent NXT programming and backstage tapings since his loss to Tony D’Angelo in the October 27 Halloween Havoc event. Fightful Select reports that there has been no mention of him participating in tapings over the past month.
Femi’s absence is currently unexplained. It may be a strategic pause following consecutive losses—including dropping the North American title after a record-setting 272-day reign—or potentially due to undisclosed injury reasons. Since debuting on television in April 2023, Femi earned acclaim by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and capturing gold from Dragon Lee.
Fans and insiders speculate that his hiatus could be setting him up for a future call-up to WWE’s main roster or a refreshed push in NXT. Should he return, Femi is a prime candidate to contend for the NXT Championship, possibly feuding with current titleholder Trick Williams.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for ongoing updates and analyses on WWE, AEW, and all your favorite wrestling stories.