Oba Femi Lays Down WWE NXT Title Challenge

The recently returned Oba Femi is not wasting any time. On Tuesday's episode of "NXT: Gold Rush," "The Ruler" stepped to the microphone to stake his claim on Ricky Saints' "NXT" Championship in one of Deadline's first confirmed matches.

Femi did not mince his words in his one-on-one encounter with Saints, who, according to Femi, was "the same little man" that Femi hoped to beat. Femi dismissed NXT's recent war against TNA has frivolous, and similarly disregarded Saints' recent program with former "NXT" Champion Trick Williams as a competition for "best dressed."

"All that stuff — all that nonsense — is beneath "The Ruler,"" Femi spat.

Where Saints had stayed the same, Femi argued, he had reinvented himself. Femi described his current version as one that Saints could not beat.

"Fair play to you," Femi acknowledged. "You've had your time in the sun, but the sun is setting on the Absolute Era, and I am the one that will cast the shadow. I am the one who will take it all away! I am the one who will destroy you!"

Saints, having quite enough of Femi's threats, staked and confirmed the challenge himself: at Deadline, he will put his title up against Femi in singles action. Before the two men could say any more, however, Williams emerged to speak his piece. Williams did not speak for long, however, as a rogue Myles Borne burst from the entrance ramp to strike steel against Williams' back. Borne turned his attention to the champion and new contender, and introduced himself as the next winner of NXT's upcoming Iron Survivor Challenge.

While Borne may have his intentions set on a Deadline appearance, his participation in the Iron Survivor challenge is not confirmed. As it stands, the only verified match is one between Saints and Femi for the "NXT" title at Deadline.