WWE has positioned Oba Femi as a generational prospect worthy of Brock Lesnar rivalry and a marquee pay-per-view spotlight. But Jim Ross offered a more measured read on the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast, stopping short of declaring the King of the Ring a future top star because he has never spoken with him personally.
Ross acknowledged Femi’s upside as a performer but was careful not to hand him a coronation, framing his big-picture potential as unproven from his own vantage point rather than a settled outcome.
I think he’s got great potential, but I think it’s too early in his progress to define where we think he might go. He looks incredible. I never met him, but I hear he’s a decent guy. If he listens well this weekend, he’ll come out okay.
But it’s a great opportunity for him. Hope he understands that to turn heads, simply working with Brock Lesnar on a pay-per-view is a big deal.”
“I couldn’t give you a definitive answer until I would have an eye to eye chat with Oba. What kind of guy is he? Is he intimidated easily or not? There’s a lot of ifs and a lot of things that haven’t been established that we need to wait on to see.
That caution stands out against how bullish the company has been on Femi. Triple H has compared Femi’s rise to a young Brock Lesnar, and reports have indicated Lesnar has been mentoring Femi backstage, a level of investment few prospects receive.
The résumé backs the push. Femi beat Lesnar in a singles match at WrestleMania 42 Sunday, a result WWE spotlighted as one of the landmark outcomes of the show. He later dropped a rematch to Lesnar at WWE Clash in Italy on May 30, 2026, trading marquee wins and losses with an established headliner.
At Night of Champions on June 27, 2026, Femi pinned Jey Uso in the King of the Ring tournament final, which crowned him the 2026 King of the Ring.
