Oba Femi Returns to Replace Eddy Thorpe at NXT Deadline in Shocking Twist

Oba Femi is back, and fans are in for a major surprise. Hours before WWE NXT Deadline kicks off at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota, NXT General Manager Ava dropped an announcement. Eddy Thorpe is officially out of the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge match due to a brutal attack earlier today—but the shocker? Oba Femi will take his place.

Ava broke the news in a video on X/Twitter, expressing her disappointment and confirming that Thorpe’s attacker remains unidentified. “This heinous attack is under investigation,” she stated, promising fans a “suitable replacement” for Thorpe’s spot. She wasn’t kidding.

Oba Femi, who’s been absent from NXT since his loss to Tony D’Angelo at Halloween Havoc, is stepping into the high-stakes match. Fans had speculated about Femi’s WWE future after rumors swirled he might be done with NXT. However, sources confirmed that Femi had been taking some well-deserved time off in his home country of Nigeria, and there were no injuries or visa issues holding him back.

Now, Femi’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. The Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge—featuring Wes Lee, Je’Von Evans, Nathan Frazer, and Ethan Page—is one of the biggest attractions of tonight’s premium live event. With Oba Femi in the mix, the stakes just got higher.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels are reportedly big fans of Femi, with one source saying they’d be “shocked” if WWE hadn’t extended his contract from 2021. While there’s no word yet on any immediate plans for a main roster call-up, this sudden return puts Femi back in the spotlight, where he clearly belongs.

This twist has added a whole new layer of excitement to NXT Deadline. Will Oba Femi prove himself in his comeback match and earn a future title shot? Fans won’t have to wait long to find out.

Be sure to catch WWE NXT Deadline live at 7:00 PM ET on Peacock in the U.S. and the WWE Network internationally. Stay tuned for full play-by-play coverage from Ringside News.

What are your thoughts on Oba Femi stepping in for Eddy Thorpe? Do you think he has what it takes to win the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge? Let us know in the comments below!