Oba Femi | |
---|---|
Birth name | Isaac Odugbesan |
Born | Lagos, Nigeria[1] | April 22, 1998
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Isaac Odugbesan Oba Femi[2] |
Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)[2] |
Billed weight | 273 lb (124 kg)[2] |
Billed from | Lagos, Nigeria |
Trained by | WWE Performance Center[1] |
Debut | November 15, 2022[1] |
Isaac Odugbesan (born April 22, 1998) is a Nigerian professional wrestler and former shot putter. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Oba Femi. He is the current NXT North American Champion in his first reign.
Odugbesan had won several medals during his high school years. This would earn him a student-athlete scholarship at Middle Tennessee State University, winning the Conference USA title. Odugbesan then transferred to the University of Alabama in Summer 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.[3][4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
After going winless on the program through February, Femi would make his formal NXT debut on April 25, 2023, at Spring Breakin', defeating Oro Mensah.[7] After a hiatus on television, on December 2023, Femi entered the 2023 Men's NXT Breakout Tournament. He defeated Myles Borne in the first round and Tavion Heights in the semifinals.[8] On January 2, 2024, at NXT: New Year's Evil, Femi defeated Riley Osborne in the finals to become the winner of the tournament.[9] The following week, Femi cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract and defeated Dragon Lee to win the NXT North American Championship, the first title of his career, while also becoming the youngest and first Next In Line program graduate to win a WWE title.[10][11] On February 4 at Vengeance Day, Femi successfully defended his title in his first title defense against Dragon Lee.[12]