10 Wrestlers Most Likely To Be Steve Austin's WWE WrestleMania 39 Opponent

8. Seth Rollins

Steve Austin John Cena
WWE.com

The politics of this sort of thing must be considered as carefully as the storytelling implications.

WrestleMania is the place where stars are made, but equally, it's the place where stars must be placated. Striking this balance is complex, and - very quietly - Seth Rollins isn't quite the living embodiment of the Stand Up For WWE meme that he was in 2019. Then, tasked with being the top guy, he made a bit of a t*t of himself on Twitter. His claim that WWE was the best wrestling on the planet, period, scanned as copium in the face of fierce and widespread criticism.

He doesn't do this any more, quite the opposite. He has taken to burying WWE in the replies to certain social media posts and has publicly bemoaned what is now the fact that he'll never occupy the same position as Roman Reigns.

You never know, really, but the shift is noticeable - not enough to Photoshop any Tyler Black Is All Elite pictures, but noticeable. He seems like a WWE lifer, but less so than in 2019.

All of which is to state that he's ambitious, and wants to reiterate that message. His best, signature match might be too lung-bursting for Steve Austin in 2023, but he's angling for something big.

Probability: 60%

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!