Seth Rollins is widely regarded as one of the finest wrestlers in the world. His reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion has already seen him contest barn burners with the likes of Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura. He is set to defend the gold again opposite Drew McIntyre at Crown Jewel in what promises to be a terrific encounter.
However, Rollins’s excellent matches are not a recent phenomenon. Indeed, he has been putting on wrestling clinics for over a decade. This feature looks back on the five best matches ‘The Kingslayer’ has contested in WWE.
#5 versus The Miz versus Finn Balor – WrestleMania 34 (April 8, 2018)
WrestleMania 34 began with a bang as Seth Rollins clashed with Finn Balor and The Miz in an all out war for Miz’s Intercontinental Title.
The 15-minute match-up was fought at an electric pace and had a succession of excellent nearfalls, particularly down the closing stretch. In many ways the bout was a throwback to the WrestleMania III IC Title clash between ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage and Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat.
The match built and built to a stunning crescendo. Balor nailed Miz with the Coup de Grâce. When Balor attempted the cover, he ate a Stomp from Rollins. ‘The Kingslayer’ then smashed Miz with a Stomp as well and covered him to earn the pinfall and the Intercontinental Title.
That win saw Rollins complete the Grand Slam of WWE titles.
Terrific match with a white hot New Orleans crowd roaring the competitors on as they delivered world class action. One of the best triple threat matches WWE has ever produced. Tremendous effort all round.
#4 versus John Cena – SummerSlam 2015 (August 23, 2015)
The highlight of SummerSlam 2015 was the title versus title match-up between Seth Rollins and John Cena.
The story thread of the match was Cena attempting to lift the World Title for a record equalling 16th time. Rollins was looking to become the first wrestler to hold the WWE and United States Titles simultaneously. Ultimately, on this night, it was Rollins who made history.
The match itself, with its high stakes was superb. Rollins carried Cena to one of his finest ever matches in a stunning performance. Rollins bumped for Cena and made it look as if his WWE Championship was under threat. When it was Rollins’s turn to be on the offensive he nailed the United States Champion with innovative, exciting offence.
The referee got bumped and The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart ran down to the ring, steel chair in hand. After teasing nailing Rollins, he blasted Cena instead. Rollins hit a Pedigree on the chair, and with the referee revived, Rollins retained the gold.
Heated and energetic with a surprise ending. The contest was a sterling effort from both participants.
#3 versus Cody Rhodes – WrestleMania 38 (April 2, 2022)
In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 38, Seth Rollins was without an opponent. He petitioned Vince McMahon to be given a worthwhile foe to compete against. At bell time, Rollins learned the identity of his mystery opponent; none other than Cody Rhodes.
Rollins and ‘The American Nightmare’ contested a technically sound and dramatic encounter that ebbed and flowed throughout and had some magnificent near falls down the closing stretch. It was a majestic performance from both.
Rhodes nailed Rollins with four Cross Rhodes and his late father’s Bionic Elbow to earn a popular victory. Although it was Rhodes who had his hand raised in victory, Rollins played his role in establishing the newcomer as a force to be reckoned with in the company.
A truly fabulous match-up and undoubtedly one of the finest of ‘The Architect’s’ career.
#2 versus Edge – Crown Jewel 2021 (October 21, 2021)
Seth Rollins and Edge’s long running feud came to a violent head in a stunning Hell in a Cell clash at Crown Jewel 2021.
The pair constructed an emotional, logically built story match which thrilled the live crowd throughout it’s epic 28-minute runtime. Everything was on point and timed to perfection and had exactly the right amount of violence to draw a line under the competitor’s blood feud.
Memorable spots included Edge smashing Rollins with his own devastating move, the Buckle Bomb and following with a huge Spear and Rollins nailing Edge with a powerbomb through a table.
The finish came when Edge hit Rollins with his own Stomp onto a chair to earn the clean pinfall. Heated, epic and violent. It was everything a Hell in a Cell bout should be. Superlative bout.
#1 versus Cody Rhodes – Hell In A Cell 2022 (June 5, 2022)
The Seth Rollins/Cody Rhodes conflict came to a brutal end inside the intimidating steel structure, Hell in a Cell. The stage was set for something special during the entrances. Rollins entered, sporting Rhodes’s father, Dusty Rhodes’s old polka dot attire. There was a collective gasp when Rhodes entered the ring and removed his robe to reveal a badly bruised right pec, which was the result of a badly torn pectoral muscle.
Against the odds, Rollins and Rhodes constructed an incredible match-up which was all the more amazing, with Rhodes essentially only having the use of a single arm. Rhodes played the sympathetic babyface to perfection as he fought through the pain and made sporadic comebacks only to fall victim to Rollins’s evil assaults on his right pec and arm.
There were nice moments such as Rollins unveiling a Rhodes’s style weight belt, with his own nickname, ‘Visionary’ scribed on it. Rhodes introduced a cow bell and bullrope into the fray which was a match gimmick synonymous with his late father.
The match built to a terrific home stretch. Rollins hit the Stomp for a close near fall and nailed Rhodes with his own Cross Rhodes manoeuvre. ‘The American Nightmare’ fired back with his own Cross Rhodes. He then followed up with two more and a sledgehammer shot to earn the victory.
Truly exceptional bout which is without doubt the best of Rollins’s career.
You can watch all of these matches exclusively on the WWE Network.