Oba Femi Reveals John Cena’s Key Advice That Changed His WWE In-Ring Presence

Oba Femi may be dominating WWE’s main roster with power and presence, but behind the scenes, he’s been soaking up wisdom from one of the greatest to ever do it — John Cena.

During a recent appearance on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, the former NXT Champion opened up about the advice Cena gave him before stepping fully into the WWE spotlight. And it wasn’t about lifting heavier or hitting harder. It was about owning the moment. Oba explained that Cena is obsessed with creating memorable crowd interactions — those seconds inside a match that fans remember long after the final bell rings.

“He’s very big on look at me moments.”

That phrase wasn’t random. Oba broke down exactly what Cena meant and how it applies to the way he performs. That wasn’t a throwaway tip. Oba made it clear this stuck with him.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard the story with he and at the time Cesaro where he told Cesaro to go get the ball that was being thrown around in the audience and pop the ball. But he’s very big on crowd interaction and look at me moments. So he was telling me that he understands that NXT is a very fast-paced style of wrestling because that’s what Shawn wants. But at the same time, he encouraged me to, when the opponent is down, I should always take my time to interact with the crowd and do something that will be memorable to them so they can always remember me.”

“So that’s one of the things that John said to me that stuck. That was a pretty big one amongst many other things, but that was the big takeaway.”

If you’ve been watching Oba Femi lately, you’ve already seen the shift. The slower walk to the ring. The stare before delivering a move. The talking under his breath as he circles a fallen opponent. The pauses. The breathing space. The control.

It’s not just dominance — it’s theater. John Cena built his career on knowing when to slow things down and command the crowd’s full attention. Now Oba Femi is applying that same strategy as he transitions from NXT standout to WWE main roster threat. Instead of rushing through destruction, he’s making you sit with it. And that might be the most dangerous evolution of his game yet.

Do you see the difference in Oba Femi’s in-ring presence since his main roster debut? Has John Cena’s advice already elevated his performance, or do you think he was already operating at that level? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what you think.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.