Oba Femi rocks wrestling, winning WWE tournament as former Nigerian athlete

Former Nigerian shot put athlete Isaac Odugbesan, now recognized as Oba Femi, emerged victorious in a WWE tournament, poised to ink a professional deal with the renowned wrestling entertainment franchise. Oba Femi triumphed over Riley Osborne in the NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament, securing an automatic contract with NXT. He stands as the inaugural Nigerian-born athlete to clinch the tournament, positioning himself in NXT with aspirations to ascend the ranks to WWE Raw or Smackdown stardom.

Reflecting on his achievement, Oba Femi shared on Instagram, “This is NOT a boyhood dream come true, this is a man fulfilling everything he was always supposed to be. I’ve never been the underdog.” Asserting his resilience, he conveyed, “Everyone has always expected me to do and be something special, and I’ve ALWAYS delivered.”

At 22, Oba Femi garnered attention by overcoming the more renowned Myles Borne to reach the semi-finals. His debut victory and assertive post-fight interview addressed the perceived lack of brute force in NXT, positioning himself as a formidable force. Oba Femi’s comparison to WWE Hall of Famers Bobby Lashley and Dave Bautista underscores his strength and wrestling style.

Should he advance to the WWE, Oba Femi will join the ranks of Giant Omos and Apollos Crews as Nigerian-born superstars in the wrestling franchise. Regarded as a future dominator in the wrestling world, Oba Femi’s combination of strength, boldness, and technical prowess sets him apart in NXT. With a successful college athletic background, he appears poised to leave an indelible mark on the WWE in the years to come.