The United States Mission in Nigeria has celebrated Nigerian-born WWE superstar, Oba Femi, following his victory over American wrestling legend, Brock Lesnar, at WWE SummerSlam.

The mission, in a post on X on Wednesday, described Femi’s victory as an example of what could happen when talent meets opportunity in the United States.

It said, “The United States is a place where talent from around the world can compete at the highest levels, push boundaries, and reach millions. Nigerian-born WWE superstar Oba Femi’s victory over Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam shows what can happen when talent meets opportunity in America.”

PUNCH Online reports that Oba Femi, whose real name is Isaac Odugbesan, defeated Lesnar in a brutal Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August 2. (https://punchng.com/nigerian-wrestler-oba-femi-defeats-brock-lesnar-at-wwe-summerslam/)

The victory capped a fierce rivalry between the two wrestlers.

The Nigerian-born wrestler had previously defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 in April, before the American star secured a victory in their subsequent encounter. Their SummerSlam clash therefore served as the decisive bout in their rivalry.

The United States Mission used Oba Femi’s rise to highlight the opportunities available to talented people who pursue careers in the country, saying America continues to provide platforms for people to compete and achieve at the highest levels.

“From world-class sports and entertainment to education, innovation, and entrepreneurship, America continues to reward ambition, discipline, and drive—giving those who compete on its stages the chance to achieve at the highest levels,” the mission said.

Oba Femi’s victory also attracted attention because of his background as a Nigerian who moved to the United States initially to pursue athletics before making the transition to professional wrestling.

Born in Lagos, Oba Femi competed in shot put and attended Middle Tennessee State University on a track and field scholarship before transferring to the University of Alabama, where he won major collegiate honours. He later joined WWE through its NIL programme.

The 28-year-old has since established himself as one of WWE’s rising stars, winning the NXT Championship twice and the NXT North American Championship once before making his mark on WWE’s bigger stages.