Is Seth Rollins Primed for a Return to WWE Raw’s Top Spot?

Seth Rollins came face to face with Triple H on the December 31 edition of Monday Night Raw. The Kingslayer and The Game had words after Rollins demanded his Intercontinental Championship rematch against Dean Ambrose. Hunter said no and that he wanted much more from Seth. Rollins reminded Triple H, as well as the rest of the world, that he had been carrying the program over the past 12 months.

But then Seth said precisely what many fans wanted to hear. Rollins said he would take out Brock Lesnar and his Universal Championship. It’s a statement that had to be made at some point. Now that it’s been said, what are the chances that Seth Rollins is indeed headed to the very top of Monday Night Raw?

One key issue for fans to remember is that the red brand’s top spot is the company’s top spot. That’s because both belong to Roman Reigns. The Big Dog may be on the shelf right now but he will be back eventually. The only question is, will WWE move forward with someone else in Roman’s place until Reigns returns?

It’s not about replacing Roman, of course. WWE wold surely not go that route and there’s really no reason to. But as long as he’s gone, there’s a noticeable gap on Raw. If that gap is not filled, then the red brand will continue to struggle. Rollins is there. He’s ready. Why not use him?

Watch Triple H confront Seth Rollins on Raw:

Triple H questions Seth Rollins' drive: Raw, Dec. 31, 2018

The fact is that even though Roman is the face of WWE, Seth is the workhorse of Raw. It could even be said that Rollins is on par with Roman in terms of star power, though WWE may not see it that way. But there’s no denying that the WWE faithful recognize how valuable Rollins is to the product.

They know what he’s capable of and more importantly, they know he can slide right in and make an impact right now. What better way to make an impact than by going after Brock Lesnar?

Brock’s Royal Rumble match with Braun Strowman hasn’t even happened yet and fans are already speculating on Lesnar versus Rollins. Why is that? The Monster Among Men seems to be in a great position to take the Universal Championship. The fans would certainly love to see him win the big one. So maybe that’s exactly what will happen on January 27.

However, Strowman has been here before. He always seems to be on the verge of greatness and right when it appears as though he’s going to win it all, he comes up short. Seth is presented as a clutch player in the company, but Braun is the complete opposite. Rollins is seen as a top player, while Strowman is the powerhouse with potential. It’s not that Braun can’t reach the next level, but WWE doesn’t seem willing to get him there.

Watch Rollins versus Lashley on Raw:

Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley: Raw, Dec. 31, 2018

But Seth has proven himself in that very spot before. It’s one thing to proclaim excellence and it’s another thing to show it. When Seth was riding high as WWE champion, he fully embraced the role and owned the moment. He became the most hated man in the company. He also became WWE’s most valuable player. 

Since then however, Seth has yet to return to that elite level. But his game hasn’t suffered because of it. In fact, many fans would say he’s never looked better in the ring than he does right now. Rollins was built to be a top star in WWE and he’s shown that time after time. But are fans high on Seth because they truly want to see him grab the top spot once again? Or is it more about the man that’s currently wearing the Universal title?

Brock Lesnar has beaten everyone he’s faced in WWE. He’s lost some matches along the way, but no one gets over on Brock in the end. From Triple H to John Cena to Goldberg, one Superstar after another has found himself on the losing end in a feud with Brock Lesnar. It’s happened so often that it’s not even a question anymore of whether or not Lesnar will get the victory. 

Fans want to see Brock lose. They cheer for him when he comes back and they pop for him when he hits the first few German Suplexes in a match. But after five straight minutes of Germans and in the midst of the same match routine, fans are ready to tap out. They’ve seen it all before. Nothing ever changes and it looks though nothing ever will. 

Watch Seth backstage on Raw:

Seth Rollins is ready for whatever is thrown at him: WWE Exclusive, Dec. 31, 2018

So every time a challenger steps up to face The Beast Incarnate, the fans immediately begin fantasy booking and who can blame them? The same question is always asked and probably always will be. “Will this be the man to finally take Brock Lesnar down?” That question has already been answered when it comes to Braun Strowman. But it has not been answered in regard to Seth Rollins.

Of course the fans are anxious to see him step up against Lesnar. It’s familiar but it’s different at the same time. Even though the outcome could be the same as always, there’s a chance that WWE could actually put Seth over. But will that happen?

What about Strowman? Is he going down again? What about Finn Bálor? Will he ever get a real shot at the top? Drew McIntyre has massive potential to get over on the main event scene, so when will his time come? Fans have talked about a Bobby Lashley versus Brock Lesnar dream match for years, why not move forward with that bout at WrestleMania 35?

Is Seth Rollins just the next possible prospect to conquer The Conquerer? Is that why the fans care so much about him right now? Whether or not that’s actually true is simply unknown. But Rollins’ commitment to his craft and to WWE, is not in doubt. Seth is the real deal and the fans know it. WWE surely knows it as well.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live