Summary

Swerve Strickland believes Oba Femi should have been presented at the top of the card from the moment he reached WWE's main roster.

While speaking on the Bootleg Kev Podcast, Strickland recalled telling Femi at the gym that, if he were making the call, Femi's debut would have been a world title moment. He added that he felt he was close to calling it because Femi's debut came against Cody for the belt.

The comments fit with the same direct tone Strickland used when he warned young wrestlers about virality before craft, and this time his focus was on how a promotion frames a rising star.

Quote from Swerve Strickland

"I met Oba at the gym and I said, 'If I had the pen, your debut would be winning that belt.' I was close because his debut was against Cody for the belt. He was like, 'How did you do this, man?' I was just like, 'I call it how I see it. It's you, bro.'"

Strickland later went on to say:

"Like I said, perception is everything. Put him in main events. Perception is everything. People will buy it, but they got to see it. Not even with just black wrestlers, same with Bron Breakker. Perception is everything, put them in the main events. People will buy into it the more you do it. They'll perceive it."

Oba Femi's WWE positioning

Oba Femi is already being treated as a protected act on the main roster, and Strickland's point is that WWE can strengthen that even more by keeping him in major match slots and meaningful programs instead of letting the presentation cool off.

Strickland also used Bron Breakker as another example of a wrestler who benefits from consistent main event framing. That gives his argument a clear booking angle, WWE can create bigger stars faster when viewers are repeatedly shown who belongs at the top.

Sources

Swerve Strickland on the Bootleg Kev Podcast