Oba Femi Seemingly Vacates NXT Title After Dominant New Year’s Evil Win

Oba Femi walked into New Year’s Evil as NXT Champion—and while he left the arena as dominant as ever, it now appears he may have also left the title behind.

The January 6 edition of WWE NXT featured a physical main event where Femi defended his championship against Leon Slater. As expected, Femi controlled most of the match with overwhelming power. Despite a gutsy effort from Slater that included a top-rope crossbody, outside dive, and near-falls that had fans chanting “this is awesome,” it was Oba’s Fall From Grace that ultimately sealed the win.

But it was what happened after the bell that turned heads. Following the match, NXT cut to a backstage segment with Ava, who was speaking to EVOLVE talent about possible call-ups. The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by someone urgently asking Ava if she saw what Oba Femi just did. The camera then cut to a striking image: the NXT Championship sitting alone in the middle of the ring—with no sign of Oba Femi in sight.

There was no explanation or follow-up commentary, just the title left behind. The moment instantly sparked speculation that Oba Femi had seemingly vacated the NXT Championship WWE has been airing vignettes teasing Oba Femi’s main roster debut in recent weeks, and this quiet but powerful scene could be the final chapter of his run in NXT.

Is Oba Femi headed to RAW or SmackDown? And did he just walk away from the NXT Title on his own terms? Let us know what you think in the comments.