Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi made a stunning impact at WrestleMania 42, defeating Brock Lesnar in a dominant performance that shocked fans worldwide.
The 27-year-old showcased immense power and composure on one of wrestling’s biggest stages, leaving a mark on many fans.
Femi previously shared his rise from a field and track athlete to a superstar after WWE approached him. Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi has made history by winning WrestleMania on Sunday, April 19 2026.
The little-known Nigerian took the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas by storm, debuting his ring name ‘The Ruler’. At WrestleMania 42 Night 2 in Las Vegas, the Nigerian sensation delivered a career-defining performance by dominating and defeating Brock Lesnar in under five minutes.
How did Oba Femi defeat Brock Lesnar?
The 27-year-old powerhouse no-sold Lesnar’s F-5, countered with a massive chokeslam, and finished The Beast Incarnate with his signature Fall From Grace sitout powerbomb for a clean pin.
The shocking victory is widely seen as a symbolic torch-passing moment, with many speculating it marked Brock Lesnar’s emotional retirement from WWE. Femi has spoken about his incredible journey, narrating how quickly things transpired for him.
How did Oba Femi join WWE?
Speaking to CNN’s Larry Madowo before his record-setting fight, the Nigerian recounted joining WWE. According to Femi, he was a track and field athlete before WWE approached him.
“I was studying visual arts at the University of Lagos. However, I was a shot-put champion in college in Nigeria. I had aspirations to do that in the Olympics and win championships and medals. I did all that to some degree.”
Femi then revealed how his path led him to WWE despite being a field and track athlete. “I got a DM from WWE. They messaged in on Instagram asking me to take a trial and if I would be interested, to which I said yes, and the rest is history.
I don’t know for sure why they chose me to take part, but I guess it had to do with my intensity in other sports I took part in. They also might have seen me and liked the package and size, and went why not?” The Nigerian athlete had moved to the University of Alabama before his breakthrough. His meteoric rise has created quite a stir online, with fans extending their congratulations to the WWE sensation-TUKO.
