Oba Femi turned down Paul Heyman on the Oct. 12 episode of WWE Raw in Bossier City, Louisiana. Heyman interrupted to praise Femi’s Money in the Bank win over Bronson Reed, calling the Nigerian star “a vision of the future of WWE.” Femi cut Heyman off and threw the microphone down. The Ruler said he was not a “Paul Heyman Guy” like Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns, but an “Oba Femi Guy.” The advocate was left alone in the ring as Femi walked away.
Femi beat Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell in the main event of SummerSlam Night One on Aug. first in Minneapolis. The former NXT Champion knocked a chair out of Lesnar’s hand and hit Fall From Grace for the win. Afterward, Lesnar hugged Femi, raised the Ruler’s arm, and called him “the future of WWE.”
Heyman was at ringside with Lesnar that night, not Femi. Lesnar spent most of his WWE career with Heyman as his advocate. After the match, Femi said, “The future is now, and the future is me.”
Femi beat Reed at Money in the Bank on Oct. tenth despite interference from The Vision and its associates, including a brass knuckles attack. Femi kicked out of the Tsunami and won with Fall From Grace. On Raw, Heyman pointed to the kickout from the Tsunami as proof of the Ruler’s toughness.
Femi described the night in his own words before Heyman arrived. The Nigerian star said The Vision told him to expect a series of tsunamis in New Orleans, but he found clear skies. Femi also warned that anyone who steps to him will kneel, pointing to Reed and Bron Breakker.
Heyman built his career around the idea of the Paul Heyman Guy. Lesnar and Reigns both spent years with Heyman doing much of the talking, and the advocate served as Reigns’ special counsel during The Bloodline era. Heyman also managed CM Punk during Punk’s 434-day WWE Championship reign.
The advocate left The Vision on July 13, a week after Maxxine Dupri joined the group. Heyman had been aligned with Breakker and Reed before that exit. Both men are now Femi’s rivals.
On the Oct. fifth Raw, Reed attacked Penta after a win by Penta and Je’Von Evans over Breakker and Austin Theory. Femi ran in to make the save and warned Reed ahead of their Money in the Bank match. The Vision went after Penta, Evans, and Trick Williams again on the Oct. ninth SmackDown.
Fans chanted for Femi on that SmackDown, but the Ruler did not appear. Breakker speared Evans on the Oct. 12 Raw, the same night Femi turned down Heyman. The Vision targeted Evans on Oct. 9 and again on Oct. 12.
Femi has beaten Lesnar at SummerSlam and Reed at Money in the Bank. Reigns holds the World Heavyweight Championship on Raw, and Penta has the men’s Money in the Bank contract. The Tribal Chief faces Sami Zayn at Crown Jewel on Nov. seventh.
Lesnar called Femi the future after SummerSlam, and Femi’s results since August have matched those words. Femi’s next opponent has not been announced. Survivor Series: WarGames on Nov. 28 in Houston is Raw’s next premium live event after Crown Jewel.
Femi turning down Heyman was the right call. Every Paul Heyman Guy becomes part of the advocate’s legacy, and Femi’s story is big enough on its own. Beating Lesnar in Hell in a Cell and Reed in New Orleans did more for him than any promo Heyman could cut. The line “Oba Femi Guy” is the type of moment that makes a star.
The rejection also keeps Femi on the right side of the fight. Raw needs someone who can stand up to The Vision without being tied to its past, and Heyman would have brought that baggage with him. Femi as the man who says no to everyone is a cleaner, stronger character.
The next step should be a world title match, and it should come soon. Reigns is busy with Crown Jewel and WarGames, but Femi is the most logical challenger left on Raw. The future Lesnar talked about at SummerSlam should arrive before WrestleMania 43.
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