10 Times WWE Failed To Replace A Major Star
7. Triple H With Seth Rollins
As obnoxious as Triple H can be in 2017, he was genuinely one of the best heels of all-time during his prime. His Cerebral Assassin/post-DX years are legendary, and whether feuding with The Rock, Mick Foley, or Kurt Angle, Triple H was an excellent antagonist for whoever WWE threw at him.
Unfortunately, WWE have been trying to recreate his success as an entitled, corporate-sponsored heel ever since. Seth Rollins stands as the most recent example, and after splitting from The Shield in 2014, Hunter started rebuilding The Architect in his own image.
Rollins was strong in the role. His natural cockiness shone through, and his snivelling, conniving personality made him a compelling villain at the top of the card. Rollins was never as erudite as Triple H, but the role seemed to fit him like a glove… at least until he became WWE Champion.
He may have been The Shield’s best natural athlete, but Rollins was probably the worst Champion of the trio. Seth was booked horrifically after cashing-in his Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 31, and everything that made his character engaging was stripped away. Triple H took his spotlight away from him, his feuds with Randy Orton and Kane were numbingly dull, and Rollins’ string of non-title losses and dubious title defences left both him and the belt in the dirt.