Nigerian Star Oba Femi Retires Brock Lesnar at WM42
Isaac Odugbesan, the Lagos-born WWE superstar known to millions as Oba Femi, achieved what few in professional wrestling could have predicted—defeating 10-time WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in under five minutes during his WrestleMania debut on Sunday.
The match, which stood among the headline bouts of WrestleMania 42, concluded with Lesnar removing his wrestling gear and leaving it in the centre of the ring. Within the world of professional wrestling, such a gesture is widely interpreted as an unspoken announcement of retirement.
The 27-year-old Nigerian, who carries the moniker “The Ruler,” entered the contest with just three months of experience on WWE’s main roster, having previously dominated the NXT brand where he held both the NXT Championship and the NXT North American Championship.
The physical exchange began with both athletes measuring each other’s power. Lesnar, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and one of the most decorated performers in WWE history, momentarily seized control with a barrage of offensive strikes. Yet the Nigerian absorbed the assault and shifted the balance with a display of raw, unrelenting power. Lesnar managed to execute his signature F5 manoeuvre, but Femi rose almost immediately, delivering a thunderous chokeslam before planting the veteran with his “Fall From Grace” sit-out powerbomb to secure the three-count.
Born in Lagos, Odugbesan’s path to sports entertainment ran through the track and field circuit, where he competed as a shot put athlete. He joined WWE in 2021 through the company’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) programme. His trajectory since has been meteoric: he claimed victory in the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament and followed it with a win in the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge.
During the WrestleMania Sunday post-show, Femi directed his attention toward the future, specifically addressing Roman Reigns, the “Original Tribal Chief.” The exchange, which drew a loud reaction from the live audience, hinted at a potential championship confrontation before the close of the year.
The victory over Lesnar has already ignited widespread discussion across social media platforms, with fans reacting to what is being framed as one of the most significant upset victories in recent WrestleMania memory.