6'4 superstar returns to WWE after over 40 days and becomes #1 contender to the NXT Championship

There has been a huge upgrade to the NXT Championship picture after the opening match of the Deadline Premium Live Event. The Iron Survivor match saw a last-minute replacement, with a 6'4 star returning after 40 days to steal the show.

NXT General Manager Ava announced that Eddy Thorpe, one of the originally scheduled men in the Iron Survivor Match, was taken out and unable to compete. A "suitable replacement" was being looked for and it looks like there was always an idea in mind over who it could be. That someone just so happened to be out of action since Halloween Havoc 2024 on October 27.

It was none other than the returning 6'4 Oba Femi who made his first appearance in 41 days to win the Iron Survivor Match and, subsequently - the #1 contender to Trick Williams' NXT Title.

The incredible finish saw the 20-year-old Je'Von Evans have the lead along with Ethan Page at two pinfalls. It was a last-second double-pinfall from Oba Femi that took his score from one to three - leading to his win.

The last time we saw Oba Femi was at Halloween Havoc when he lost his North American Title rematch to Tony D'Angelo. Many knew that it would merely be a way for him to step up to the NXT Title picture.

It was always a matter of when he became the number one contender and not "if." Just before the show, it was reported by Fightful that Oba Femi had not left WWE - he was simply on a hiatus in his home country Nigeria, and that he was expected "sooner rather than later":

Turns out it was, indeed, "sooner". It now remains to be seen what the future holds for Oba Femi.

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