Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40 Main Event, The Rock and Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Shows Interest in WWE; Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Sparks Speculation
By Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report – November 27, 2024
In the latest updates from the WWE Universe, Roman Reigns has shared his thoughts on his recent WrestleMania 40 opponents, The Rock and Cody Rhodes, while boxing sensation Tommy Fury appears to be eyeing a future in professional wrestling. Meanwhile, emerging NXT star Oba Femi has sparked rumors due to his recent absence from WWE programming.
Roman Reigns Discusses WrestleMania 40 Matchups and Future Prospects with The Rock
Roman Reigns, the “Original Tribal Chief,” opened up about the high-stakes decisions made regarding WrestleMania 40’s main event during an interview on the Sports Illustrated podcast with Jimmy Traina this week. Addressing the speculation that WWE considered having him face either The Rock or Cody Rhodes for the headline spot, Reigns emphasized that his main concern was simply being in the main event spotlight, regardless of the opponent.
Reigns told Traina, “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.”
Originally, after Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble, he declined to challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40, leaving the door open for The Rock to step in. However, fan backlash over this switch prompted Rhodes to reverse his stance. This led to The Rock turning heel, earning the moniker “The Final Boss,” and aligning with Reigns. Reigns and The Rock teamed up to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, while Rhodes reclaimed the WWE Championship from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Given that the much-anticipated Reigns vs. The Rock singles match did not materialize at WrestleMania 40, Traina inquired about its future possibility. Reigns suggested it could happen if fans make their voices heard: “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 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, who made an unannounced return to WWE programming last month at the Bad Blood event, has not yet clarified his next steps. With The Bloodline factions set for a WarGames match at Survivor Series, many are speculating that The Rock could reappear to further develop a storyline that might culminate in a showdown with his cousin, Reigns.
Tommy Fury Shows Interest in WWE After Backstage Visit
Boxing star Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, hinted at a possible WWE future following a recent backstage visit during WWE’s UK tour. In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury shared footage of himself meeting several WWE superstars, including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther.
Fury commented, “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.”
Tommy Fury, undefeated at 10-0 in professional boxing and known for being the only boxer to defeat Jake Paul, has strong ties to the world of combat sports and entertainment. His brother Tyson had a one-off WWE match at Crown Jewel 2019 and has been involved in several WWE storylines since.
With Logan Paul, Jake’s brother, currently signed as a WWE Superstar and former United States Champion, a potential rivalry or even a tag team involving the Fury brothers versus the Paul brothers would undoubtedly excite mainstream audiences. WWE is likely to keep Tommy Fury on their radar as a valuable crossover star.
Oba Femi’s Absence from NXT Raises Questions
NXT fans have taken notice of the recent absence of Oba Femi, the former North American Champion who has not been seen in NXT tapings for about a month. According to Fightful Select, Femi has not been backstage since losing his title to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. The reason behind Femi’s absence is unclear. It may be a strategic move by NXT officials to allow him time to regroup following two significant losses. Femi made a strong impact since his televised debut in April 2023 by winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and securing the North American Championship after cashing in a title opportunity against Dragon Lee. His title reign lasted a record 272 days before being ended by D’Angelo.
Whether Femi is taking time off to recover from injury, preparing for a potential WWE main roster call-up, or simply being rested off television remains unknown. Regardless, when he returns, he is expected to be positioned as a prominent contender within WWE’s developmental brand or possibly beyond.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for the latest WWE news, NXT updates, and entertainment from the wrestling world.