Nigerian Wrestler Oba Femi Defeats Brock Lesnar in WrestleMania 42 Debut

Nigerian wrestler Isaac Odugbesan, known in the ring as Oba Femi, recorded a high-profile victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 on Sunday, winning the match in under five minutes.

The bout, staged under the banner of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), featured Lesnar as one of the most experienced competitors in the company, a 10-time world champion. Despite that advantage, he was defeated by the 27-year-old Nigerian in what became one of the most discussed matches of the event.

Lesnar briefly controlled parts of the contest, using his power-based offence, including an F5 that slowed Femi’s momentum. Femi recovered quickly, shifted the pace of the match, and responded with a chokeslam before sealing the win with his sit-out powerbomb, “Fall From Grace,” for a pinfall victory.

After the match, Lesnar exited the ring and left behind his gear, an action often interpreted in professional wrestling as a possible sign of retirement or departure.

Femi, also known as “The Ruler,” entered the main roster only three months ago after rising through WWE’s developmental system. His background includes a collegiate athletics career in shot put before joining WWE in 2021 through its NIL programme.

His wrestling resume includes winning the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament, holding the NXT Championship twice, and capturing the NXT North American Championship once.

The result quickly generated reactions across social media, where fans highlighted the scale of the upset given Lesnar’s long-standing reputation in the sport.

Following the event, Femi addressed the audience during the post-show segment and directed attention toward Roman Reigns, signalling interest in a potential title opportunity later in the year.