The Self-Destruction Of Seth Rollins

“He took his ball and he went home.”

If not a direct Vince McMahon edict, that expression all but confirmed that Rollins is, for better or more likely for worse, the new face of WWE. It’s telling; when Jon Moxley expressed himself, he became the hottest property in the industry. When Seth Rollins expressed himself, he became the coldest babyface in a company that cannot effectively promote babyfaces.

Again: backwards.

Moxley isn’t going home. He is set to enter the G1 Climax—a series of matches so gruelling and dangerous that the tournament is essentially the equivalent of Bloodsport’s Kumite. Rollins, meanwhile, is wrestling Baron Corbin, in virtually the same match, across WWE’s live event loop. That in itself is admirable, but hardly the stuff of a super-worker.

Rollins is a super-worker, on his day. His recent classic, against AJ Styles at Money In The Bank, was a raw struggle of a banger—a dream match and an immersive fight. But the meme-able "The best pro wrestling on the planet. Period." will live on longer. It was that misjudged.

Rollins has been “gotten to”. He also advised Moxley, tacitly, to take a look in the mirror, in addition to underlining his support of Vince McMahon.

“Absolutely I’m satisfied with [WWE’s creative process]. I make a point to contribute my ideas and my thoughts. And look, not everybody gets that leeway. And also, not everybody should get that leeway. Vince McMahon has been doing this for 20 years longer than I’ve been alive. So he’s got some ideas and he knows things that I just don’t know that I have to learn.”

This might yet stigmatise Rollins not merely as a deluded sycophant, but a man with no cop-out. He has willingly absolved WWE of any embarrassment to which he may be subjected in future. WWE’s rotten creative often excuses performers. Many fans support talents in spite of it. Rollins has lost his babyface shine, and his excuse.

The process is often so counterproductive that it emboldens this support.

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