WWE performer Oba Femi recently appeared on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast, where he discussed his experience competing in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match alongside Brock Lesnar. Femi described the moment as layered with subtlety, emphasizing that while online buzz is important, it does not always align with the reactions of casual or live audiences. He recognized from the outset that the increasing crowd response during his face-off with Lesnar suggested a noteworthy connection was forming, prompting both wrestlers to hold back for the right moment.
Building Anticipation Through Limited Interaction
Femi revealed that although he had some interaction with Lesnar before the match, it was intentionally minimal, as the encounter was meant to act primarily as a teaser rather than a full wrestling exchange. He explained that this approach aimed to gauge audience reaction and plant the idea of a future confrontation. By focusing on crowd feedback, the promotion could decide how to advance the storyline. Femi expressed confidence that the initial face-off confirmed something significant was emerging between him and Lesnar, and they anticipate more interaction moving forward.
Potential for a High-Stakes Rivalry Ahead
Oba Femi suggested that the situation holds the promise of a major storyline, describing the possible feud as a “big money fight.” Both he and Lesnar appear poised to escalate their rivalry based on the favorable response from live fans and the wrestling community, including the influential Internet Wrestling Community (IWC). Femi’s comments imply that this early connection could lead to a more intense and extended series of encounters that captivate a wide spectrum of wrestling enthusiasts.
“So, it’s a very uh there’s so much nuance to that moment because there’s there’s there’s one thing to have buzz online, but a lot of times buzz online doesn’t necessarily translate to what the casual crowd or the live crowd really wants. So, at the beginning stages of the face off me and Brock know that based on you know our reaction we both have the understanding that wait there might be something here there might be something here oh they’re getting louder they’re getting louder it’s rumbling we have something so in that moment you have that like mental agreement like yes we know we have something so let’s not give away too much right now you know what I mean so uh I’m glad he got the reaction, I’m glad the IWC desires actually translates to the live crowd and what the casual fans want to see. And that’s that’s that’s an amazing realization. So, we have something there. It’s a big money fight. We’re not going to, you know, blow our load on, you know, just a Rumble interaction. There’s so much more that can happen there. So, you know, we’ll see down the line.”
– Oba Femi, WWE Wrestler
“I mean, yes. I got to interact with him, but not uh not not too much on the wrestling because it was always designed to be a teaser. Yeah, just to see, you know, how you know the people react to it. That’s what a lot of wrestling is. It’s not like everyone just knows because a lot of times it’s just like, let’s do this. Let’s plant this seed. Let’s see what the crowd does. And based off of what the crowd does, that’s going to be our next move. So, there wasn’t too much interaction, like it was just a face-off. It was a teaser. We knew what it was from the jump. Now, we know we have something, like we really have something. And I think going from here now, we have we’ll probably have more interaction down the line.”
– Oba Femi, WWE Wrestler
What This Could Mean for WWE Storylines
This initial interaction between Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar during the Royal Rumble marks the beginning of what could evolve into one of WWE’s most watched rivalries. The positive response from both hardcore fans and casual viewers suggests that WWE may invest heavily in developing this storyline, potentially culminating in headline matches at major events. Given Brock Lesnar’s established reputation and Oba Femi’s rising profile, their feud might deliver compelling entertainment and significant audience interest in the months to come.
