Latest WWE Updates: Roman Reigns on The Rock and Cody Rhodes, Tommy Fury’s WWE Interest, and Oba Femi’s NXT Absence
By Mike Chiari, Nov 27, 2024
Bleacher Report brings you the latest news and insights from the WWE Universe, highlighting key developments involving some of wrestling’s top personalities.
Roman Reigns Opens Up About WrestleMania 40 and Future Rock Match
In a recent interview on the SI Media podcast hosted by Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, WWE’s “Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns shared his perspective on his WrestleMania 40 main event against Cody Rhodes and the potential for a future match with his cousin, The Rock.
When asked if he was disappointed that he faced Rhodes instead of The Rock, Reigns was clear that it didn’t matter who his opponent was as long as he was in the main event spotlight. Reigns said, "It doesn’t matter to me. I was the main event. I’m the guy that everyone wanted to dance with… It was the same task in hand for me," emphasizing that whoever stood across from him was trying to stop history from being made.
The back and forth leading into WrestleMania 40 included Rhodes winning the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble and initially indicating he would not challenge Reigns for the WWE Championship. This led to speculation The Rock would step in. However, fan backlash prompted Rhodes to reverse course. The Rock subsequently turned heel, adopting the persona of “The Final Boss” and aligned himself with Reigns. Together, The Rock and Reigns defeated Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, before Rhodes captured the WWE title from Reigns in the Night 2 main event.
Regarding a possible future clash with The Rock, Reigns acknowledged the potential if the fans demand it: “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 last month at Bad Blood hinted at big things to come. With the upcoming WarGames match at Survivor Series featuring new and original versions of The Bloodline, speculation remains high that The Rock could play a prominent role, potentially leading to a high-profile encounter with Reigns.
Tommy Fury Hinting at WWE Aspirations
Boxer Tommy Fury, younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, teased a possible future in professional wrestling after attending a recent WWE event during the company’s UK tour.
In a YouTube video posted Sunday, Fury was shown backstage meeting WWE Superstars including Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Gunther. He expressed gratitude and excitement about his experience, saying, “I look forward to possibly climbing through them ropes one day. Who knows?”
Tommy Fury, 25, has made waves in boxing himself with an undefeated 10-0 record and is known as the only boxer to defeat Jake Paul. His connection to boxing stars and his ties to the Paul family—Logan Paul is a WWE Superstar—makes him a natural candidate for a crossover into WWE. This could set up intriguing scenarios including a potential showdown or tag team involving the Fury brothers versus the Paul brothers, drawing interest from mainstream audiences.
His brother Tyson Fury previously dabbled in WWE, notably defeating Braun Strowman by count-out at Crown Jewel 2019. Tommy’s growing popularity and WWE exposure suggest the company could explore signing him for storylines down the line.
Oba Femi’s NXT Absence Raises Questions
Former NXT North American Champion Oba Femi has not appeared on NXT television or backstage since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc on October 27. Fightful Select reports no indication of Femi’s presence at recent tapings, sparking speculation about the reason for his absence. Femi’s impressive NXT tenure began with winning the Breakout Tournament in 2023 and capturing the North American title from Dragon Lee. He held the championship for a record-setting 272 days before losing it to D’Angelo last month. A subsequent rematch resulted in another defeat, after which he disappeared from NXT programming.
Theories abound that Femi’s time away might mean he is either resting and resetting after two tough losses, dealing with an injury, or being prepped for a main roster call-up. The NXT creative team might also be shelving him temporarily to allow his losses to have a greater impact.
If and when Oba Femi returns, many insiders believe he will be a strong contender for the NXT Championship, bringing his combination of athleticism and charisma to the forefront once again.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for more updates and in-depth coverage from the world of WWE and beyond.