Roman Reigns Reflects on WrestleMania 40, The Rock, Cody Rhodes; Tommy Fury Eyes WWE Career; NXT’s Oba Femi Missing from Recent Tapings
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 opponents, boxing star Tommy Fury’s interest in WWE, and NXT star Oba Femi’s recent absence.
Roman Reigns Shares Thoughts on Facing Cody Rhodes Instead of The Rock at WrestleMania 40
In a revealing interview on the SI Media podcast with Jimmy Traina, WWE’s Roman Reigns opened up about the highly anticipated lineup changes leading into WrestleMania 40. Originally, fans speculated that Reigns would face his cousin, The Rock, but instead, the main event saw him clash with Cody Rhodes.
When asked if he felt disappointed about Rhodes replacing The Rock as his WrestleMania opponent, Reigns was clear that the opponent didn’t matter as much to him as being in the main event itself. “It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with,” he said. “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 lead-up to the event was turbulent: after Rhodes won the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble, he initially declined to challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, suggesting The Rock would take that spot. However, fan backlash led to a reversal, with The Rock turning heel, aligning himself with Reigns as “The Final Boss.” Together, they defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, while Rhodes captured the WWE title from Reigns on Night 2. Traina pressed Reigns on the possibility of a future showdown with The Rock, given it didn’t materialize at WrestleMania. Reigns hinted the match could happen if the fans demanded it loudly enough. “If that’s what the people want and The People’s Champ is down, I’m sure we can make something happen,” Reigns added.
The Rock made an unexpected return to WWE programming at October’s Bad Blood event but has not clarified his WWE plans since. With the ongoing Bloodline rivalry highlighted by a WarGames match at Survivor Series, fans could see The Rock return to WWE, potentially gearing toward a future clash with Reigns.
Boxer Tommy Fury Teases Interest in Wrestling Career with WWE
Tommy Fury, a professional boxer and younger brother of former heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, has hinted he might pursue a WWE career. On Sunday, Tommy shared a YouTube video showing behind-the-scenes moments at a recent WWE UK tour stop.
He expressed enthusiasm about the experience and potential future in wrestling, saying, “Big up to Randy Orton, absolutely amazing guy. Big up to Cody Rhodes, all of them, Gunther, the lot of them… I look forward to possibly climbing through these ropes one day. Who knows?”
Tommy Fury holds a perfect 10-0 boxing record and is notably the only boxer to have defeated social media star Jake Paul. Given his ties to the Paul family, he could easily fit into WWE storytelling as an adversary to Logan Paul, currently a WWE Superstar and former United States champion. Such a dynamic could provide crossover appeal by pitting the Fury brothers against the Paul brothers in the ring.
His brother Tyson Fury has prior WWE experience, having had one match in 2019 and a memorable appearance at WWE Clash at the Castle in 2022, where he stopped Austin Theory from cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.
Oba Femi Missing from Recent NXT Tapings Following Two Losses
Oba Femi, former NXT North American Champion, has been notably absent from NXT television and backstage since late October, according to Fightful Select sources. His last televised appearance was a loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27, where he lost the North American Championship after a lengthy 272-day reign.
Femi’s absence has sparked speculation. It may be a strategic break allowing him to regroup following two significant defeats, an injury-related hiatus, or possibly preparation for a call-up to WWE’s main roster. Since debuting on NXT in April 2023, Femi has been a standout, winning the NXT Breakout Tournament and solidifying himself as a dynamic talent.
If he returns in the near future, many within WWE circles see Femi as a strong contender for the NXT Championship, potentially setting up new storylines and title pursuits.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for continued WWE coverage and updates across the wrestling world.