Oba Femi's WWE Future Gets A Concerning Update After Crown Jewel Match Cancellation

Roman Reigns could be Oba Femi's next major opponent at WrestleMania 43.© NDTV Library

Oba Femi's absence from WWE programming is reportedly down to a lack of creative plans rather than an injury, with the company having no major storyline lined up for him before his expected clash with Roman Reigns. The former NXT Champion was originally discussed for a six-man tag team match at Crown Jewel, but WWE changed the booking and left him out of the November 7 event. He's now missed several episodes of RAW despite being healthy, and a new report gives some idea why WWE has kept him off television.

WWE reportedly has no major creative plans for Oba Femi after removing him from the Crown Jewel card

Femi's last televised appearance came on the October 12 episode of RAW. He had just beaten Bronson Reed at Money in the Bank and turned down Paul Heyman's attempt to bring him into The Vision. His answer was clear, he wanted to stay on his own.

According to a November 3 report from Wrestling Noticias, WWE has no major plans for Femi until the company starts building his program with Roman Reigns ahead of WrestleMania 43. The report also said Femi missed RAW for a third straight week on November 2.

The original Crown Jewel plans were different. Dave Meltzer reported that WWE first talked about a six-man tag team match with Oba Femi, Penta and Je'Von Evans against Bron Breakker, Austin Theory and Bronson Reed.

That idea got dropped, and Penta and Evans were booked against Breakker and Theory for the World Tag Team Championships instead. Meltzer reported the creative team changed direction because the six-man match ahead of title bout did not make much sense.

Oba Femi's reported WrestleMania 43 plans involve a major match against Roman Reigns

Femi's possible direction for 2027 is already being talked about backstage. According to Meltzer, WWE is planning to bring him into a program with Roman Reigns, though the match isn't expected at Survivor Series: WarGames.

Femi had called out Reigns during the Money in the Bank post-show, telling him, “Tribal Chief. No more running. It is about that time.” Meltzer explained that the wrestler was reacting to the crowd and not announcing an immediate title challenge.

“The plan is WrestleMania,” Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio.

The current reported idea is for Reigns to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Femi at WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia. But WWE hasn't officially announced the match, and creative plans can still change.

So Femi's absence from RAW could continue while WWE waits to begin that storyline. There's no confirmed date for his television return.