WWE Cancelled Major WrestleMania 38 Plans For Seth Rollins...

Here's what WWE had cooking for Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 38 before changing directions.

by Andy H Murray
Seth Rollins WrestleMania 38
WWE

WWE Day 1 made the company's plans for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38 tough to predict, as Brock Lesnar swept in and claimed the belt in the five-way main event despite his seemingly impending collision with Universal Champion Roman Reigns at The Showcase of the Immortals, though it looks like WWE had something pretty clear in mind prior to the New Year's Day event.

Per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Seth Rollins was originally supposed to win the WWE Championship and defend it at 'Mania. He'd put it up against the 2022 Royal Rumble winner in Dallas, which would likely have been Big E, though Kevin Owens and Bobby Lashley also stood as possibilities.

Meltzer notes that WWE's plan upon moving Rollins from SmackDown to Raw in the 2021 draft was to have him win the WWE Title from Big E. Seth would have won what was originally intended to be a four-way for the gold at Day 1 (also featuring Owens and Lashley), but this was changed when Lesnar was inserted into the match following Reigns' positive COVID-19 test.

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Brock was originally booked to challenge for Roman's Universal Title at Day 1.

Last week's episode of SmackDown saw Rollins unveiled as Reigns' next challenger, with that match set to take place at Royal Rumble 2022 (29 January). Lesnar will defend the WWE Championship against Lashley on that same show. It is believed that plans still call for Reigns and Lesnar to face each other at 'Mania.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.