Oba Femi
4ms
From the vibrant streets of Lagos, Nigeria, emerges a force of nature, a former shot put titan now conquering the squared circle. Isaac Odugbesan, born April 22, 1998, is a Nigerian professional wrestler and a name you'll want to remember. Signed to WWE, he electrifies the NXT brand under the formidable ring name, Oba Femi. He's not just a contender; he's a former NXT Champion and a record-breaking, longest-reigning NXT North American Champion.
His athletic journey began on the track. During his high school and college years, Odugbesan dominated in track and field. His talent earned him a coveted student-athlete scholarship at Middle Tennessee State University, where he claimed the Conference USA title. He then transferred to the University of Alabama, continuing his reign in shot put, securing the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championship title in both 2021 and 2022, and adding the outdoor title in that same year before graduating.
The WWE recognized his raw power and potential, signing him in 2021 through their innovative NIL program. Under the moniker Oba Femi, he made his professional wrestling debut on November 18, 2022, on NXT Level Up. His official NXT debut followed on April 25, 2023, at Spring Breakin', where he made a statement by defeating Oro Mensah.
Femi's ascent continued with a dominant victory in the 2023 Men's NXT Breakout Tournament, defeating Riley Osborne in the finals on January 2, 2024. Cashing in his hard-won contract the very next week, he defeated Dragon Lee to capture the NXT North American Championship, etching his name in history as the first Next In Line program graduate to win a championship in WWE. His reign was nothing short of spectacular, defending the title against formidable opponents like Dragon Lee, Dijak, Josh Briggs, Ivar, Wes Lee, and Tony D'Angelo. On October 5th, Femi shattered Wes Lee's previous record, becoming the longest-reigning NXT North American Champion at an incredible 269 days. Though his reign ended at 273 days on October 8th, marking his first loss of 2024 after an astonishing 30-match winning streak, his impact was undeniable. He made a valiant attempt to recapture the title at NXT Halloween Havoc, but fell short.
However, Femi bounced back with incredible resilience. Returning at NXT Deadline, he entered the Iron Survivor Challenge and emerged victorious, earning another shot at championship gold. On January 7, 2025, at NXT: New Year's Evil, he faced Trick Williams and Eddy Thorpe in a thrilling triple threat match and emerged as the NXT Champion, becoming the first NIL program graduate to hold a top championship in WWE. He continued to showcase his dominance, successfully retaining the NXT Championship against Grayson Waller and Austin Theory at NXT Vengeance Day, only to be ambushed by a mysterious faction. Femi defended his title once more against TNA X Division Champion Moose at NXT Roadblock, and then against Wes Lee and Je'Von Evans at NXT Stand & Deliver, and Myles Borne at NXT Battleground. His impressive reign concluded at 263 days when he lost the NXT Championship to Ricky Saints at NXT No Mercy.
Following a confrontation with Moose on NXT, Femi made a striking appearance on Impact!, confronting The System, hinting at further inter-promotional rivalries.
His accolades speak volumes: Ranked No. 53 in the prestigious PWI 500 in 2024, a one-time NXT Champion, a one-time NXT North American Champion, the winner of the 2023 NXT Men's Breakout Tournament, the 2024 Men's Iron Survivor Challenge, and a two-time NXT Year-End Award winner, including Match of the Year for his bout at NXT Stand & Deliver and Male Superstar of the Year in 2024.
Oba Femi: a testament to dedication, power, and an unyielding spirit.
Copied!
Isaac Odugbesan (born April 22, 1998) is a Nigerian professional wrestler and former shot putter. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Oba Femi. He is a former one-time NXT Champion as well as a former one-time and longest reigning NXT North American Champion.
Born in Lagos, Odugbesan competed in track and field during his high school and college years. After signing with the WWE in 2021 through its NIL program, Obugbesan won the 2023 NXT Men's Breakout Tournament and 2024 Men's Iron Survivor Challenge.
== Track and field ==
Odugbesan had won several medals during his high school years, earning him a student-athlete scholarship at Middle Tennessee State University, winning the Conference USA title. Odugbesan then transferred to the University of Alabama in the summer of 2019, where he won the shot put title at the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2021 and 2022, as well as winning the outdoor title in the latter year prior to graduation.
== Professional wrestling career ==
=== WWE (2021–present) ===
On December 8, 2021, Odugbesan signed with professional wrestling promotion WWE as part of its new Next In Line program to develop college athletes into potential WWE wrestlers. Under the ring name Oba Femi, he made his in-ring debut on the November 18, 2022, episode of NXT Level Up, losing to Dante Chen.
Femi made his formal NXT debut on April 25, 2023, at Spring Breakin', defeating Oro Mensah. After a hiatus from television, Femi won the 2023 Men's NXT Breakout Tournament when he defeated Riley Osborne in the finals on January 2, 2024, at NXT: New Year's Evil. He cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract the next week 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. Femi would go on to retain the title against Lee at NXT Vengeance Day, Dijak and Josh Briggs in a triple threat match at NXT Stand & Deliver, Raw wrestler Ivar at Spring Breakin’, Wes Lee in a last chance match at NXT Heatwave, and Tony D'Angelo at NXT No Mercy. On October 5, Femi surpassed Wes Lee's 269 day title reign, thus becoming the longest-reigning NXT North American Champion. 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. At NXT Halloween Havoc on October 27, Femi failed to regain the title from D'Angelo in a Tables, Ladders and Scares match after interference from The D'Angelo Family.
After a short hiatus, Femi returned at NXT Deadline and entered the Iron Survivor Challenge match in place of an injured Eddy Thorpe and won the match, earning an NXT Championship match against Trick Williams at NXT: New Year's Evil on January 7, 2025, 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. At NXT Vengeance Day on February 15, Femi successfully retained the NXT Championship in a triple threat match against Grayson Waller and Austin Theory. After the match, he was ambushed by a group of mysterious figures which was revealed to be Dion Lennox, Saquon Shugars, Culter James and Osiris Griffin. At NXT Roadblock on March 11, Femi defeated TNA X Division Champion Moose to retain the title. At NXT Stand & Deliver on April 19, Femi successfully defended the title against Williams and Je'Von Evans in a triple threat match. At NXT Battleground on May 25, Femi successfully defended the title against Myles Borne. At NXT No Mercy on September 27, Femi lost the title to Ricky Saints, ending his reign at 263 days.
=== Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2025) ===
After Moose confronted Femi on the February 18 episode of NXT, he appeared on the February 20 episode of Impact! confronting The System.
== Championships and accomplishments ==
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Ranked No. 53 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2024
WWE
NXT Championship (1 time)
NXT North American Championship (1 time)
NXT Men's Breakout Tournament (2023)
Men's Iron Survivor Challenge (2024)
NXT Year-End Award (2 times)
Match of the Year (2024) – vs. Dijak and Josh Briggs at NXT Stand & Deliver
Male Superstar of the Year (2024)
== References ==
== External links ==
Oba Femi's profile at WWE , Cagematch , Wrestlingdata , Internet Wrestling Database
Home
Languages