Oba Femi Launches Weekly Open Challenge On WWE Raw
Oba Femi has announced a new weekly initiative on WWE Raw. On the April 27, 2026 episode from Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas, Femi declared that "The Oba Femi Open Challenge will commence," opening the door to all comers on the red brand.
The move formalizes Femi's status as a leader on Raw following his WrestleMania 42 win over Brock Lesnar. Rather than chase a single feud out of the gate, The Ruler is positioning himself as a weekly destination, daring any superstar to step up.
It is a familiar device, evoking the Open Challenges that helped elevate stars like John Cena and Sheamus during their respective US Title runs. The difference here is that Femi is doing it without a championship around his waist, using the format itself as the platform.
Femi rose to prominence by accepting Brock Lesnar's open challenge, defeating The Beast at WrestleMania 42 Night 2 on April 19 in Las Vegas. After kicking out of an F5 and connecting with the Fall From Grace for the win, Femi watched as Lesnar removed his gloves and boots in the center of the ring, a gesture widely read as a retirement signal.
The following night on the Raw after WrestleMania, Femi opened the show with a four-word statement: "The Ruler has arrived." Tonight's announcement gives that proclamation a structure.
Instead of waiting for storylines to come to him, Femi is generating his own, a smart use of his momentum during a period when WWE creative is reportedly weighing him as a potential WrestleMania 43 main eventer.
With Backlash three weeks away on May 9, the Open Challenge format gives WWE a flexible runway to test opponents, build heat, and decide where Femi's first main roster title pursuit will land.
