Oba Femi is one of the fastest-rising stars in WWE right now—a Nigerian powerhouse who’s quickly becoming a global name in professional wrestling.

Real Identity & Background

Real name: Isaac Odugbesan

Born: April 22, 1998

From: Lagos, Nigeria

Height/Weight: ~6’6” (198 cm), 310 lbs (141 kg)

CBI News notes that before wrestling, he was an elite track & field athlete (shot put champion) in the U.S., winning major collegiate titles at the University of Alabama.

Isaac Odugbesan was born in Lagos on April 22, 1998, 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. Odugbesan attended the University of Lagos, where he won ten shot put medals in the Nigerian University Games Association during his freshman season in 2016.

In the fall of 2017, he relocated to the United States to attend Middle Tennessee State University on a track and field scholarship, being named Conference USA Male Freshmen 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 the shot put title 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.

WWE Career: Why Everyone Is Talking About Him

Oba Femi signed with WWE through its Next In Line (NIL) program in 2021, designed to turn top athletes into wrestling stars.

Since then, his rise has been explosive:

NXT Champion (2x)

NXT North American Champion

Winner – 2023 NXT Breakout Tournament

Winner – 2024 Iron Survivor Challenge

He’s known by the nickname “The Ruler”, reflecting his dominant, no-nonsense style in the ring.

Why He’s Called a “New Sensation”

Oba Femi isn’t just another wrestler—he’s being hyped as the future of WWE because:

Unmatched physical power (comes from track & field dominance)

Rapid success — winning major titles early in his career

Strong presence & charisma — looks like a main-event star already

Historic rise — one of the first NIL recruits to become a champion

In 2026, he even made headlines by stepping onto WWE’s main roster and facing top stars, signsignallingt WWE is positioning him as a major force.

The Big Picture

Oba Femi represents a new generation of WWE talent—athletes recruited from outside wrestling and transformed into global superstars.

In simple terms:

Think of him as a mix of power, athleticism, and fast-track success—exactly what WWE looks for in its next big champion.