10 Stars WWE Are Booking Perfectly

7. Seth Rollins

Braun Strowman
WWE.com

On paper, it's perfect. There's still a strange disconnect between Seth Rollins' stellar booking and the reaction to it - though the recent reconciliation angle with Dean Ambrose, the best thing Rollins has sank his teeth into since returning from injury in 2016, is spiking his stock.

It's something of a meta arc - far more clever than what WWE usually trots out. The "rebuild" process isn't (just) a catchphrase with which to sling merch out of warehouses; it's a painstaking process designed to position Rollins as both figure of sympathy and fleshed-out human being. The sudden, contrived nature of his turn compromised it, but it's far easier to buy now than it was when Rollins was suddenly cast into the joke-cracking trademark babyface mould. Rollins is in the midst of redemption.

This is markedly different to the usual black and white world of WWE, in which heroes become villains and lose their entire identity in the process. Rollins is flawed, and freely admits this.

The present tense is crucial. A noble man acknowledges his faults. Rollins is quietly becoming a noble man, and a more over act.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!