Might this be the time a Seth Rollins babyface turn actually clicks?
The (as-of-writing) United States Champion has entered one of the best in-ring years of his career in 2022, working critically acclaimed programmes alongside Kevin Owens and against Cody Rhodes and Matt Riddle, and has approached his preposterous 'Visionary Of Drip' gimmick with such conviction that fans have fallen in love all over again.
Perhaps learning from the mistakes he made trying to do it in kayfabe several years earlier, Triple H has nurtured this well as WWE's creative chief. The switch happened gradually enough that it was almost imperceptible, and - crucially - Rollins hasn't really changed his gimmick to go alongside it. His offence getting jacked all the way back to his dazzling best doesn't hurt either.
Additional to all of that, it's perhaps no coincidence that the latest unlikely twist in a unique tenure has coincided with the belt currently slung over his shoulder too...
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for 10 years. Alongside the production of daily written, audio and video content covering WWE and AEW, he also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years.
As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot on the UK's wrestling podcast charts with over 10,000 episodes and 70,000,000 total downloads. He also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House!, Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast, and has guested on long-running Sunderland AFC podcast Wise Men Say.
With WhatCulture, he has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. He has also been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana, 411Mania and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling.
Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in music and culture magazines The Crack, Pilot as well as Sunderland AFC's premiere fanzine A Love Supreme. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it every other Saturday at the Stadium Of Light, and at Cribs gigs nationwide.
