Nigerian star signals arrival with dominant win over veteran on wrestling’s biggest stage
Nigerian professional wrestler Oba Femi delivered a breakout performance on his WrestleMania debut, defeating 10-time champion Brock Lesnar in under five minutes at WrestleMania 42 on Sunday.
The bout, billed among the headline attractions of the night, ended in emphatic fashion as the 27-year-old overpowered the veteran in a contest that quickly became one of the event’s defining moments. In a gesture often interpreted within professional wrestling as a sign of retirement, Lesnar left his gear in the ring after the match.
Femi—known as “The Ruler”—absorbed early pressure as both men tested each other’s strength. Lesnar briefly seized control with a series of offensive moves, but the Nigerian shifted momentum with a powerful response that turned the contest decisively in his favour.
The turning point came after Lesnar executed his signature F5. Femi recovered swiftly, countered with a chokeslam, and sealed the victory with his “Fall From Grace” sit-out powerbomb to secure the pinfall.
Born Isaac Odugbesan in Lagos, Femi’s rise has been notably rapid. He joined WWE in 2021 through its NIL programme and has spent just three months on the main roster.
Before stepping onto wrestling’s global stage, he built a strong reputation in NXT, where he became a two-time champion and also held the NXT North American title. His résumé includes victories in the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament and the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge.
The scale of his achievement was underscored by the generational gap between the two competitors—Femi, born in 1998, was just four years old when Lesnar made his WWE debut.
In the aftermath, Femi further energised the crowd during the post-show by calling out Roman Reigns, widely known as the “Original Tribal Chief,” hinting at a potential title challenge later in the year.
Standing at 6ft 4in and weighing around 310 pounds, Femi combined size with athleticism to full effect, marking his arrival with a statement victory that could shape the next phase of his career.
His triumph has been met with excitement among fans in Nigeria and beyond, fuelling expectations that he could emerge as one of the sport’s next leading figures.
