Nigerian professional wrestler Oba Femi made a remarkable statement on his WrestleMania debut, defeating 10-time champion Brock Lesnar in less than five minutes at WrestleMania 42 on Sunday.
The highly anticipated clash, one of the night’s main attractions, ended in dramatic fashion as the 27-year-old overpowered the veteran, instantly becoming a major talking point. In a symbolic gesture after the bout, Lesnar left his gear in the ring—often seen in professional wrestling as a sign of retirement.
Known as “The Ruler,” Femi showed early resilience as both competitors tested each other’s strength. Although Lesnar briefly gained the upper hand with a flurry of offense, the Nigerian quickly absorbed the pressure and turned the tide with a dominant comeback.
The turning point came after Lesnar executed his signature F5, but Femi recovered swiftly, delivered a chokeslam, and sealed the victory with his “Fall From Grace” sit-out powerbomb for the pin.
Born Isaac Odugbesan in Lagos, Femi has enjoyed a rapid rise, spending only three months on WWE’s main roster. Prior to this, he built a strong reputation in NXT, where he became a two-time champion and also held the NXT North American title.
A former shot put athlete, Femi joined WWE in 2021 through its NIL programme and went on to win the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament and the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge.
His victory over Lesnar has sparked excitement among Nigerians, with many hopeful he can maintain the momentum. The generational contrast was also notable—Femi, born in 1998, was just four years old when Lesnar made his WWE debut.
After the match, Femi further energized fans during the WrestleMania post-show by calling out Roman Reigns, also known as the “Original Tribal Chief,” hinting at a possible title challenge later this year.
Standing at 6’4” and weighing around 310 pounds, Femi combined size and athleticism to full effect, announcing himself on WWE’s biggest stage with a performance that could define the next phase of his career.