Throughout his WWE career, Seth Rollins has been called many things: The Architect, The Kingslayer, The Monday Night Messiah, and today, The Visionary. However, following the dramatic events of Money in the Bank and the subsequent Monday Night Raw, Rollins has earned himself a fancy new moniker.
The Hypocritical Hero.
The drama on Raw began when Rollins confronted CM Punk for interfering in his match against Damian Priest for the World Title at Money in the Bank. Rollins blamed Punk’s attack on Drew McIntyre, who was trying to cash in his Money in the Bank contract during the contest, for costing him a shot at the title. Bound by a pre-match agreement, Rollins had agreed not to challenge for the title as long as Priest was champion if he lost, making his defeat increasingly devastating.
“If it wasn’t for you,” Rollins said to Punk, “I would be standing here right now, World Heavyweight Champion. And for the time being, I’m out of cracks at that title.”
Indeed, Money in the Bank was a night of twists and turns for Rollins. A referee’s error dashed his championship hopes before McIntyre tried to capitalize on his guaranteed title opportunity. Ever the sportsman, Rollins accepted these twists of fate, understanding the unpredictable nature of sports and WWE.
Yet, Rollins struggled to extend that same understanding to CM Punk’s motivations. Despite Punk’s clear explanation that his focus was squarely on settling scores with McIntyre, Rollins remained resentful and turned Punk’s phrase, “Actions have consequences,” against him.
“I could take a cheap shot at you right here, right now, but I know your fragile little body isn’t 100%, but I promise you this. When you are cleared, you will not even be able to say the name Drew McIntyre before I snap your arm and put you back on the shelf. Actions have consequences.”
Despite his acceptance of a referee’s blunder and McIntyre’s goals, it’s surprising Rollins didn’t extend the same courtesy to Punk, considering his tendency to involve himself in others’ issues under self-imposed justification. After all, it was Rollins’ interference during the main event of WrestleMania XL that changed the course of WWE’s history.
But what underscores Rollins’ hypocrisy is his sudden obsession with Punk. Rather than directing blame at Punk and letting anger consume him, Rollins should reflect on his shortcomings in the critical moments before chaos erupted in his match with Priest that cost him the title. It’s the same lesson he tried to impart to Drew McIntyre during their three-match rivalry when Rollins held the World Champion title.
For months, McIntyre voiced his justified frustrations, from winning the WWE Championship in an empty arena to The Bloodline’s interference costing him the title against Roman Reigns. Instead of showing empathy, Rollins consistently needled McIntyre, labeling him bitter and blaming McIntyre for his misfortunes.
Now, Rollins finds himself in the same boat as McIntyre, bitter and resentful toward the person he believes dashed his dream rather than accepting responsibility for his actions. Instead of rushing to chase the World Title after a months-long sabbatical, Rollins should have eased back into competition. His belief that he could quickly recover from injury and reclaim the World Championship was overconfident and foolish.
Instead, he blames CM Punk.
Yeah, okay, Seth, go with that. While it may cast you as a hypocrite, it certainly makes for compelling television.
Loading comments...