Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi “The Ruler” taking over WWE
In the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a young, brave, and audacious Nigerian, Oba Femi “The Ruler,” is no doubt the rave of the moment who is not only steeled to take out even the most dangerous opponents, but also leave indelible marks while eying financial fortunes and immortality in the ring. Born 27 years ago […]
In the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a young, brave, and audacious Nigerian, Oba Femi “The Ruler,” is no doubt the rave of the moment who is not only steeled to take out even the most dangerous opponents, but also leave indelible marks while eying financial fortunes and immortality in the ring.
Born 27 years ago as Isaac Odugbesan, “The Ruler” is currently one of the WWE’s fastest-rising stars, recognised as a dominant powerhouse representing Nigeria on the global stage.
Inspired by trailblazers like Omos (Tolulope “Jordan” Omogbehin also known as “The Nigerian giant,” Apollo Crews (Sesugh Uhaa), Edris Enofe (Inyene Umoh) and many others, Femi has become a tangible addition to the growing list of WWE stars of Nigerian descent who are doing so much to elevate the status of the country in the world of sports.
While we have immensely talented youngsters like Victor Osimhen, Lookman Ademola, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and a host of others in football, Anthony Joshua, Israel Adesanya “The last Stlebender,” Kamaru Usman, Sodiq Yusuff, Kennedy Nzechukwu are excelling in boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Rise of “The Ruler”
As of April 2026, Femi has successfully transitioned from a record-breaking run in NXT to a major role on the main roster of WWE.
His signature entrance has become a viral sensation, with fans across social media participating in the trend as they savour the incredible performances.
It will be recalled that before his main roster call-up, Femi became the longest-reigning NXT North American Champion and a two time NXT Champion.
He also made a massive impact at the 2026 Royal Rumble, entering at number one and eliminating five competitors during a 40-minute stint that announced his arrival on the big stage. He showed no nerves.
Feud with Brock Lesnar
Femi is currently engaged in a high profile feud with the dangerous Brock Lesnar, whom he is set to face at WrestleMania this weekend in Las Vegas.
Indeed, for fans of the WWE in Nigeria, their proudest moment came when their young and bullish compatriot, on the March 16 episode of RAW, confronted Lesnar during a segment between Lesnar and Seth Rollins before hitting Lesnar with his Fall from Grace powerbomb and accepted his open challenge for WrestleMania 42, solidifying himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Femi’s background
Isaac Odugbesan was born in Lagos on April 22, 1998. He is the son of Maria and Niyi Odugbesan. He has been a fan of professional wrestling since the age of six, with Triple H and the Undertaker being his favourite wrestlers.
However, he started out in athletics as a short putter. As a student of the University of Lagos, he won 10 shot put medals in the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) during his freshman season in 2016.
In 2017, he relocated to the USA to attend Middle Tennessee State University on a track and field scholarship, being named Conference USA Male freshman of the Year and an outdoor first-team All-USA selection.
Odugbesan transferred to the University of Alabama in 2019, where he majored in Studio arts and won shot put titles at the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2021 and 2022, also winning the outdoor title the year prior. He graduated in May 2022 with a degree in visual arts.
His wrestling style
His years of training as an elite thrower built the explosive power he now uses to lift and toss opponents with ease. The sport had helped him to develop a rare combination of massive size and agile movement which he now put to good use in the ring.