5 Biggest Winners & Losers From WWE Raw (July 25)
2. Winner: Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins didn’t even need to step inside a wrestling ring to become one of Raw’s biggest winners last night. When Stephanie and Foley came out out to announce the Universal Championship qualifying series, The Architect was installed as an immediate finalist. Eight other wrestlers would collide for the chance to face him, and Rollins would completely bypass the qualification rigmarole to once again profit on his allegiance with Stephanie McMahon by claiming an effortless title shot.
While Finn Balor had to work long and hard for his opportunity, Rollins was handed his on a silver platter. It would have been easy for Stephanie to turn on Rollins this week, particularly after failing to deliver on his promise to capture the WWE Championship, but she didn’t. Instead, McMahon laid into Roman Reigns, blaming him for Raw’s failings, and showing the world that her crooked relationship with Seth Rollins doesn’t look like ending any time soon.
Seth Rollins is already a cornerstone athlete for WWE. Picked first overall in last week’s Draft, he’ll feature in the company’s title scene for years to come, and while fans have argued that he should’ve returned as a babyface, putting him in the title match without paying his dues is a great heel move. Whatever Rollins’ future direction holds, he immediately regained all the heat he’d lost at Battleground, and his future looks brighter than ever.