#3.
SummerSlam 2015
WWE World Heavyweight Championship / United States Championship
Seth Rollins © vs. John Cena ©
SummerSlam 2015
WWE World Heavyweight Championship / United States Championship
Seth Rollins © vs. John Cena ©
This is arguably the defining match of Seth Rollins’ title reign. In the lead up to this match, John Cena called out Rollins as part of an overarching issue he had with The Authority. Rollins challenged Cena for the US Title on Raw, but lost the match, however he did land a high knee that broke John Cena’s nose. Cena would then lay down the challenge to Rollins to defend his title, calling him a weak champion who betrayed the legacy of great champions like Ric Flair, which of course tied in with Triple H being Flair’s protege and Rollins’ mentor, as well as the fact that if Cena won this match, he would become a 16 time champion. So, this match would be a title vs. title match with Rollins walking in as WWE World Heavyweight Championship and John Cena the United States Champion.
Rollins debuts his crisp all-white attire in this match, and while he may look a little bit like a Power Ranger, it’s a pretty sweet look, imo. The match has a good pace, and they allow the anticipation to build. Once things kick into full gear, things get really good. Cena brings that signature “big fight feel” to this match, but this is really a showcase of what makes Seth Rollins such a tantalizing prospect. His athleticism is on full display in this bout, and I’m talking speed, stamina and power. Rollins delivers a series of suicide dives and a tope con hilo, he hits a standing shooting star press, he delivers a beeeeaaauuutiful frog splash, he lands the flip out of the Attitude Adjustment which many have tried and failed and he even pulls out the Attitude Adjustment himself in an impressive feat of strength. Cena for his part is the perfect guy to have this match with Rollins because his raw power and dexterity aids Rollins in pulling off many of his stunts. Cena, as he is one to do in these situations, digs deep in his bag to pull out some of his less common moves, which is always pleasant to see. As this is a clash of the clear number one guy and the guy who seems poised to be knock him off that perch, plus the implications of the titles being on the line, the crowd are very much into it and help put things over the top. God bless Brooklyn crowds.
The ending of the match sees Cena inadvertently take out the referee while hoisting Rollins up for the AA. Rollins goes for the knee, which is a callback to when he broke Cena’s nose a few weeks back. Then, John motherfucking Stewart, who has beef with Rollins, shows up with a chair. He swerves everyone and hits John Cena instead, followed by Rollins landing the Pedigree on the chair to pin Cena. It’s a finish that is very much out of WCW’s playbook and equates to a screwy finish that does tarnish the moment a bit for “The New Face of WWE”. Still, Rollins more than held his own through most of the match and walks away with both belts, seeming, for a moment, to be the top of the food chain in WWE.
****¼
#2.
TLC 2012
Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match
The Shield vs. Ryback and Team Hell No
TLC 2012
Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match
The Shield vs. Ryback and Team Hell No
The Shield’s in ring debut. This one qualifies for the significance of the match, of course, as well as just how damn good the match is. I think it’s been explained enough over the years, but Rollins debuted at Survivor Series 2012 as part of The Shield, a short lived group that consisted of Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and of course Seth Rollins himself. They were mercenaries who arrived through the crowd and would lay waste to people in the name of an unspecified justice. Their first match in WWE would be this one, a six man TLC tag match match against Ryback and Team Hell No who they had attacked in the prior month since their debut. Think about the pressure of debuting (on the main roster at least) on pay-per-view in a TLC match against three main eventers. That’s pretty damn intense.
The booking and execution of this match is nearly flawless. Knowing these three newcomers are savages who will do anything to win, Ryback, Bryan and Kane go right at The Shield as soon as they cross the barricade. What follows is just an exquisite brawl that highlights The Shield's strength, which is their fernetic offense and teamwork. There’s no shortage of weapon usage in this match. The double superplex off the table positioned on the top rope is a great spot. So is Dean Ambrose performing the scoop slams with the chair held to Bryan’s back. And Reigns spearing Kane through the barricade was fucking awesome since they hadn’t spammed that spot at this point. They divide and conquer their opponents and ultimately get the win simply because they are the better unit. There are so many factors that play into making this match great. At the top of that list, I would say, is the straightforward booking of the match, followed by the fact the fans are so into every competitor in this match. Even though this is The Shield’s first match, I think they could have easily gotten away with making this match the main event.
This is, in my mind, the perfect way to use the TLC stipulation. So many brutal looking spots, and they mix up the uses of the weapons well with innovative attacks rather than depending on the usual tropes.This isn’t a spot fest with a bunch of dives off ladders, it’s just a plain old fight, which is refreshing after we’ve seen so many of these matches at this point that they start to run together. The Shield couldn’t have had a better debut match. It set the tone for this group which would come to define WWE for the next several years and established the formula they would use to run roughshod over the company. Management had to be feeling pretty good about their decision to invest in this trio after this one. What a match.
Side note: I was shocked upon rewatching this match to see the next match was for the Diva’s Championship. A match between Naomi, who was still a Funkadactyl, and the champion Eve Torres. The revolution couldn’t come soon enough.
:****½
#1.
Royal Rumble 2015
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins vs. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar ©
Royal Rumble 2015
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins vs. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar ©
Surely no one is too surprised about the placement of this match?
The origins of this bout go back to SummerSlam where Brock Lesnar demolished John Cena. Cena got himself a rematch that was interrupted by Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins, causing a distraction finish. Cena then won himself another shot by beating Randy Orton at Hell in a Cell in October. In November, he was able to oust The Authority at Survivor Series. In December, at TLC, John Cena beat Seth Rollins in a tables match to remain number one contender. Later that month, though, Seth Rollins would hold Edge hostage and force John Cena to reinstate The Authority to power. He did, and when The Authority returned, they rewarded Seth Rollins by adding him into this match, setting up a triple threat match. The big theme going around this contest is that Rollins is still Mr. Money in the Bank. If he loses here, he could just cash in and have himself another shot.
This match is a banger out of the gate. Rollins gets out of dodge to begin, as Lesnar dominates Cena. Once Rollins does decide to get involved, he immediately regrets and gets mauled by Lesnar as well. It’s a masterclass in ass whooping for the first few minutes as Lesnar just thrashes Cena and Rollins who both take some sick bumps off the suplexes, especially Rollins. Lesnar pulls out his first kimura, locking it in on Cena who is able to lift Lesnar up, only for Rollins to come in with his flying knee to take both men out. It gets to the point where Rollins and Cena must unite to try to eliminate Lesnar from the equation which really… still doesn't get the job done. The Beast does at least get slowed down which lets this match become a little more like your traditional triple threat. For a second, you think Lesnar might be toast after three consecutive Attitude Adjustments, but Rollins makes the save and takes Cena out. Then, Rollins impales Lesnar with the curb stomp, which has to end the match. Except it doesn’t because Cena makes the save this time. Lesnar, who can not die, is walking on the outside shortly after this, and gets speared right through the barricade and then thrown into the steel steps by Cena. He’s still not staying down… Cena takes the steps and blasts Lesnar, knocking him onto the announce table. Rollins then flies in with the most incredible elbow drop to drive Lesnar and himself through the announce table. This allows Cena and Rollins to square off which is chock full of highlights in itself. Cena’s pop up powerbomb, Seth’s huge buckle bomb, the double Attitude Adjustment on J&J and Seth’s Phoenix Splash. Lesnar, who was being tended to by paramedics after the elbow through the table, rises from the dead to break up the pin off the Phoenix Splash with another German Suplex on Rollins. He snatches up Cena and gives him a German Suplex too. He grabs Rollins and again goes for the suplex, but this time Rollins lands on his feet, grabs the Money in the Bank briefcase and nails Lesnar with it. He then sets Lesnar up for a curb stomp onto the briefcase, but he gets caught and planted with the F5 for the uno, dos, tres. It’s sad but the ride has to end sometime.
This is a career making performance if ever there was one. Rollins was in this match against Brock Lesnar and John Cena, two men who need no introduction. To be a guy who came from ROH not even even three years before this to not only competing against, but outshining, those two megastars in this high stakes match is just an unbelievable accomplishment. Any doubt in Seth’s ability to swim with the sharks was laid to rest immediately with this match. He may have only been added to revitalize this feud and/or to take the pin, but he hit a fucking home run with his performance in this match. The crowd was fully engrossed from the outset and by the end of this thing, they were all but unglued. It’s one of those matches that just captivates you and Rollins gets to take a lot of the credit for that. Does he cash in at WrestleMania if he doesn’t put in the performance he did? I certainly don’t think there’s any guarantee. The only problem I have with this match is that they haven’t let him face Brock Lesnar again, until now. I rewatched about 40 of Seth Rollins’ matches to come to this obvious conclusion - this is his greatest match in a WWE ring.
****½
