10 Wrestlers Who Benefited Most From WWE Draft 2016
2. Seth Rollins
As the first overall pick in last night’s Draft, there’s a strong case to be made that Seth Rollins is now the biggest star in WWE. Despite losing Dean Ambrose, the man he was drafted over, later in the evening, Rollins was the name on everyone’s lips from SmackDown’s very first minute, and there’s no doubt the smarmy Architect will rub this in the face of anyone who dares criticise him.
He profited from Roman Reigns’ Wellness violation, but Rollins is finally “The Man” of Monday Night Raw, and a huge part of WWE’s future. You can put Rollins’ first pick down to his old affiliation with Stephanie McMahon, sure, but last night, WWE effectively said that Seth Rollins is more valuable to them than the WWE Championship. That’s huge.
A spectacular wrestler who shined throughout The Shield’s rampage through the WWE roster, few could’ve predicted how naturally Rollins would slip into his heel role. The Authority’s former chosen one has risen to the challenge with aplomb, and while his first WWE Championship reign wasn’t without its flaws, it allowed him to become the biggest heel in the company: something that’s only compounded by his draft selection.
Despite this, Rollins’ immediate future remains unclear. Many fans believe he should’ve been brought back after a babyface after returning from his career-threatening knee injury, and with Roman Reigns’ popularity at an all-time low, Raw’s main event scene has an identity crisis.
Rollins and Reigns will inevitably clash upon Reigns’ return to action, and when they do, WWE has some big questions to answer.