WWE WrestleMania 33: 7 Potential Replacements For Seth Rollins
Triple H vs The Rock anyone?
If it feels like we’ve been here before, and that’s because we very much have.
Having missed WrestleMania 32 with a torn ACL, MCL, and medial meniscus, Seth Rollins’ spot on this year’s show is once again in jeopardy after a cruel reinjury of that same right knee on the 30 January showing of Raw.
Earlier this week, the Wrestling Observer reported that he’s expected to be out for around eight weeks, and with ‘Mania taking place in a similar timeframe on 2 April, it could be touch and go right up until show time as to whether or not he’ll be cleared.
Though not yet confirmed, Rollins had been widely tipped to face Triple H on the show, wrapping up an angle that’s been months, in the making. Obviously, this injury throws those plans into question, and while it’s still possible that Rollins vs. Triple H will take place in Orlando, WWE need to consider potential replacements should 'The Architect' be unable to compete.
Let's take a look who they are.
7. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe vs. Triple H may initially sound a little farfetched, what with their recent alignment on Raw, but as far as contingency plans go it could make for a fairly quick-fix.
Joe was of course recruited to be Triple H’s destroyer, and it seemed all but certain that a match with Rollins would be set-up for Fastlane in March. But if Rollins is now out of the picture, that leaves Joe without an opponent.
Suddenly Triple H can’t deliver on the match he most likely promised to Joe, while Joe, on the other hand, very much delivered on his part of the deal. So why not turn that into a WrestleMania angle - one in which Joe doesn’t take too kindly to being messed around and robbed of a spot in a pay-per-view main event?
Having the destroyer turn on its creator would be a great way to establish Joe as no-nonsense heel who does whatever he pleases (think Brock Lesnar, only without the reduced schedule). Plus, it would allow Triple H to be cast as the babyface, a role he’s clearly more suited to at this stage of his career, and one he’s pretty much been playing anyway as the benevolent creator of NXT.