Published: Apr 15, 2026 by Liam | Last Updated: Apr 15, 2026 by Liam
Liam has been reporting & analyzing wrestling news for over eight years, and is currently the Managing Editor at WrestleTalk.com. Immersed in wrestling for 18 years, he has over 11,000 published articles in addition to leading and overseeing WrestleTalk.com's coverage.
WWE
Ahead of WrestleMania 42, WWE star Oba Femi has explained the meaning behind his ring name and how it translates to ‘God Loves Me.’
Femi is set for his WrestleMania debut in one of the biggest matches of the weekend against Brock Lesnar.
The Nigerian former NXT Champion appeared on CNN today for an interview leading up to that match and explained some of his background including his Nigerian ancestry.
Regarding the translation of his ring name, Femi, real name Isaac Odugbesan, explained:
“Oba is ‘The King’ and in that name it’s referencing God. And Femi is like, ‘wants me.’ When you say ‘This person Femi,’ that means they desire me or they want me.
“So it’s a way of saying, ‘The one who’s after the King’s heart,’ or, ‘The one the King loves.’ So, ‘God loves me.’
“I love the meaning of the name.”
If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.
Femi also spoke further about how important is is to him to showcase his culture in other ways too, including his entrance and ring gear.
He said:
“Definitely (deliberate). I want to showcase my culture. It’s definitely one of the things that… I don’t want people to go, ‘Oh, he’s just a Nigerian guy.’
“Yes, I want to show them that there’s layers to my character and stuff like that.”
If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.
Oba Femi To Be The Star Of WrestleMania Weekend
There are a few new stars on the rise heading into their first WrestleMania this weekend, but Oba Femi tops that list.
With how popular he’s become in recent weeks thanks to his confrontations with Brock Lesnar, all WWE needs to do now is pull the trigger on him beating Lesnar and let him soar to the top of the card.
While there are certainly some explanations and arguments as to why it wouldn’t be the end of the world for Lesnar to beat Femi, it would still be the wrong decision and a big miss from the company if that happens.
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