Nigerian-born WWE superstar Oba Femi delivered one of the most stunning moments in WrestleMania history on Sunday night, defeating the legendary Brock Lesnar in Las Vegas — sending “The Beast Incarnate” into what appeared to be retirement in an emotional scene that brought a packed Allegiant Stadium to its feet.
Femi pinned Lesnar after hitting his finishing move, the Fall from Grace, in the Nigerian powerhouse’s stunning WrestleMania debut — ending what had been a titanic clash between two of the most physically dominant performers the company has ever seen.
A Legend Leaves His Boots Behind
After the match, a laid-out Lesnar sat up slowly in the ring, looked to the sky, and then removed his trademark gloves and wrestling boots — leaving them in the centre of the ring in a gesture unmistakably associated with retirement. Lesnar grew emotional as Paul Heyman, his longtime manager and advocate, entered the ring to embrace him in a scene that visibly moved both men.
Fans throughout Allegiant Stadium broke into “Thank you, Brock” chants, paying tribute to a man who walks away — at least for now — as a 10-time WWE World Champion with one of the most decorated careers in professional wrestling history.
Commentator Michael Cole captured the magnitude of the moment, declaring: “Oba Femi, ladies and gentlemen, is the next big thing.”
Femi Absorbs the F5 and Keeps Coming
The match was a collision of two dominant forces, with Lesnar attempting to impose his signature style early — dragging Femi outside the ring and working on his back before returning him to the ring and landing three German suplexes. When Lesnar hit his devastating F5 finisher, the moment that has ended countless careers, Femi simply stood up as though nothing had happened.
Femi responded with a chokeslam, followed by the Fall from Grace sit-out powerbomb, pinning Lesnar clean in 4 minutes and 45 seconds. Femi showed a look of disbelief as he stood over the conquered legend, then backed up the ramp as the crowd processed what they had just witnessed.
The “AfricaNXT” Era Arrives on the Biggest Stage
Oba Femi is part of what fans have dubbed the “AfricaNXT” class of Black performers — alongside Trick Williams, Carmelo Hayes, Ricky Saints, and Je’Von Evans — who redefined WWE’s NXT brand and helped it dominate in weekly viewership. All four were called up to the main roster by January 2026, with Femi’s WrestleMania moment now cementing the group’s elevation to the sport’s biggest stage.
Reigns Dethrones Punk in Instant-Classic Main Event
The night’s main event delivered equally historic drama. Roman Reigns defeated CM Punk in a match widely described as an instant classic to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship — his 11th WrestleMania main event, and a result that shakes up the landscape of WWE Raw for the rest of 2026.
Punk threw everything at Reigns, including a low blow and multiple GTS finisher attempts, but the “Tribal Chief” proved impossible to keep down, ultimately pinning the champion to reclaim his place atop WWE’s mountain.
Night 2 at a Glance
The six-match card produced three title changes in total. Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship in what many ringside observers called the best women’s match of the entire WrestleMania weekend. Trick Williams, accompanied by rapper Lil Yachty, defeated Sami Zayn for the United States Championship. And Penta retained the men’s Intercontinental Championship by retrieving the title in a chaotic six-man ladder match that also featured Rey Mysterio, Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, and Rusev.
John Cena served as WrestleMania 42 host, announcing that the combined two-night attendance at Allegiant Stadium was 106,072 fans — a record for the Las Vegas venue.
