WWE (2021–present)
On December 8, 2021, Odugbesan signed with WWE as part of its new Next In Line program to develop college athletes into potential WWE wrestlers. [2] Following his graduation, he began training at the WWE Performance Center. [9] He made his in-ring debut at an NXT live event on November 11, 2022, losing to Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo. [10] Under the ring name Oba Femi, he made his on-screen debut on the November 18 episode of NXT Level Up , losing to Dante Chen. [11] In his formal NXT debut, Femi defeated Oro Mensah at Spring Breakin' on April 25, 2023. [12] After a hiatus from television, he won the 2023 Men's NXT Breakout Tournament by defeating Riley Osborne in the finals on January 2, 2024, at NXT: New Year's Evil, earning a contract for a championship opportunity for a title of his choosing. [5]
The following week on NXT, Femi cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract and defeated Dragon Lee to win the NXT North American Championship, becoming the first Next In Line (NIL) program graduate to win a championship in WWE. [13] Femi would go on to retain the title against Lee at NXT Vengeance Day on February 4, [14] Dijak and Josh Briggs in a triple threat match at NXT Stand & Deliver on April 6, [15] Wes Lee in a triple threat (also involving Joe Coffey) at NXT Battleground on May 25 and last chance match at NXT Heatwave on July 7, [16] [17] and Tony D'Angelo at NXT No Mercy on September 1. [18] On October 5, Femi surpassed Wes Lee's 269 day title reign, thus becoming the longest-reigning NXT North American Champion. [19] At Week 2 of NXT's CW premiere on October 8, Femi lost the title to D'Angelo, ending his reign at a record 273 days and suffering his first loss in 2024 after a 30 match winning streak. [20] He failed to regain the title from D'Angelo in a Tables, Ladders and Scares match on October 27 at NXT Halloween Havoc, after interference from The D'Angelo Family. [21]
After a short hiatus, Femi returned at NXT Deadline on December 9, where he entered the Iron Survivor Challenge match in place of an injured Eddy Thorpe and won, earning an NXT Championship match against Trick Williams at NXT: New Year's Evil on January 7, 2025, [22] where he defeated Williams in a triple threat match also involving Thorpe to win the title, becoming the first NIL program graduate to win a top championship in WWE. [23] [24] He made his first successful title defense against Austin Theory and Grayson Waller in a triple threat match at NXT Vengeance Day on February 15. [25] At NXT Roadblock on March 11, Femi defeated TNA X Division Champion Moose to retain the title. [26] Over the following months, he successfully defended the title against Williams and Je'Von Evans in a triple threat at NXT Stand & Deliver on April 19, [27] Myles Borne at NXT Battleground on May 25, [28] Yoshiki Inamura at NXT The Great American Bash on July 12, [29] and Evans at NXT Heatwave on August 24. [30] At NXT No Mercy on September 27, Femi lost the NXT Championship to Ricky Saints, ending his reign at 263 days. [31]
