WWE Be the Booker: The Heist of the Century

[WrestleWizard]

It was the heist of the century. At the climax of WrestleMania 31, Seth Rollins committed the ultimate act of opportunism, forever changing the course of WWE history. This is where our story begins. Welcome to an alternate timeline where every decision from that moment forward is rewritten, exploring what could have been in the chaotic aftermath of that fateful night.

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Hall of Champions History Database​

Last Updated: Post–WrestleMania 31 (March 29, 2015)

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WWE World Heavyweight Champion​

Reign	Champion	Date Won	Event / Show	Previous Champion
1	Seth Rollins	March 29, 2015	WrestleMania 31	Brock Lesnar
Notes: In the "Heist of the Century," Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract during the main event between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, pinning Reigns in the impromptu Triple Threat match to win the title. This begins the first reign of the BTB era.

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WWE Intercontinental Championship​

Reign	Champion	Date Won	Event / Show	Previous Champion
1	Daniel Bryan	March 29, 2015	WrestleMania 31	Bad News Barrett
Notes: Daniel Bryan captured the vacant championship by winning a 7-man Ladder Match, securing the one title that had eluded him in his career.

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WWE United States Championship​

Reign	Champion	Date Won	Event / Show	Previous Champion
1	John Cena	March 29, 2015	WrestleMania 31	Rusev
Notes: John Cena ended Rusev's undefeated streak and his year-long reign to capture the United States Championship on the grandest stage.

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WWE Tag Team Championship​

Reign	Champions	Date Won	Event / Show	Previous Champions
1	Tyson Kidd & Cesaro	February 22, 2015	WWE Fastlane	The Usos
Notes: The technically proficient duo entered the BTB era as the established champions, having won the titles a month prior to WrestleMania.

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WWE Divas Championship​

Reign	Champion	Date Won	Event / Show	Previous Champion
1	Nikki Bella	November 23, 2014	Survivor Series	AJ Lee
Notes: Nikki Bella began the BTB era in the midst of her record-setting, dominant reign as the top Diva in the company.

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NXT Championship​

Reign​	Champion​	Date Won​	Event / Show​	Previous Champion​
1​	Kevin Owens​	February 11, 2015​	NXT TakeOver: Rival​	Sami Zayn​
Notes: Kevin Owens captured the NXT Championship via referee stoppage after a brutal and personal war against his former best friend, establishing his ruthless dominance over the brand.​	​	​	​	​

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NXT Women's Championship​

Reign​	Champion​	Date Won​	Event / Show​	Previous Champion​
1​	Sasha Banks​	February 11, 2015​	NXT TakeOver: Rival​	Charlotte Flair​
Notes: "The Boss" Sasha Banks won the title in a classic Fatal Four-Way match against Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Bayley, cementing her place as the leader of the NXT Women's division.​	​	​	​	​

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NXT Tag Team Championship​

Reign​	Champions​	Date Won​	Event / Show​	Previous Champions​
​	Vacant​	N/A​	N/A​	Blake & Murphy​
Notes: Blake and Murphy were forced to surrender the tag team championships due to injury to Blake. ​	​	​	​	​

 

[WrestleWizard]

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The Heist of the Century: A Look Back at the Night WrestleMania 31 Changed Everything​

Every now and then in wrestling, a night comes along that just changes the game. A night that reminds you why you fell in love with this crazy world in the first place. On March 29, 2015, we got one of those nights.

Let's be honest, the build-up to WrestleMania 31 was… rough. The main event felt predictable, the fans were restless, and a lot of us were getting ready for a letdown. But then the sun started to set over Levi's Stadium in California, and something magical happened. Against all odds, WrestleMania 31 became one of the greatest 'Man-ias of all time, capped off by an ending so bold and so perfectly executed, we still just call it "The Heist of the Century."

So let's go back and remember the night that delivered in every possible way.

An Undercard That Had No Business Being That Good​

You could just feel the energy from the get-go. The roster seemed determined to blow everyone's expectations out of the water, and it started with the seven-man Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship. It was a beautiful disaster. Just a chaotic collection of bodies and metal, with guys like Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper taking falls that made you wince. But in the end, after trading some absolutely brutal headbutts with Dolph Ziggler on top of a ladder, Daniel Bryan grabbed that white belt. Seeing the "YES!" Movement get that moment, and seeing the IC Title feel important again? It just felt right.

The hits kept coming. Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins gave us a fantastic match, but let's talk about the finish. Because, for my money, it’s the single greatest RKO of all time. Seeing Orton launch Rollins into the air off a Curb Stomp attempt and then catch him on the way down was just jaw-dropping. It’s one of those moments that breaks out of the wrestling bubble and goes viral. How do you even practice that?

A Blast from the Past and a Mainstream BOOM​

The middle of the show felt like pure fan service in the best possible way. We finally got Sting in a WWE ring against Triple H, and what started as a match turned into a time machine. Suddenly, DX was running to the ring, and who comes out to stop them? The nWo. Hogan, Hall, and Nash. Seeing DX and the nWo throwing punches at each other at WrestleMania was a surreal, glorious fever dream. Triple H got the win with his sledgehammer, but the handshake afterward felt like the real story—the official, final end of the Monday Night Wars.

Then you had the unstoppable U.S. Champion, Rusev, who literally drove to the ring in a tank, facing off against John Cena. It was a heavyweight brawl, but a little slip-up with Lana cost Rusev everything. Cena hit the AA, got the win, and handed the big man his first-ever loss.

And, of course, there was the moment that blew the roof off the stadium. When The Rock got slapped by Stephanie McMahon, you knew something was about to happen. But nobody expected him to walk over to the barricade, walk over to UFC Champion Ronda Rousey, and invite her into the ring. Seeing her judo-throw Triple H and put Stephanie in an armbar that looked way too real? The place just went nuclear. It was a jolt of mainstream electricity that made WWE feel like the center of the pop culture universe.

The Heist​

And so, we got to the main event. Brock Lesnar, the monster who ended The Streak, against Roman Reigns, the guy everyone was ready to boo out of the building. The bell rang, and it wasn't a match; it was an assault.

Lesnar just mauled him. Suplex after suplex. He looked into the camera and growled, "Suplex City, bitch!" and an iconic catchphrase was born. But here’s the crazy part: Roman Reigns just kept getting up, smiling through a bloody mouth and asking for more. He took an unbelievable beating but started to fire back, hitting Superman Punches and Spears that somehow, some way, put The Beast down.

Both men were out. The stadium was holding its breath. And then we heard it.

That guitar riff.

For a second, there was confusion, and then a roar of pure shock. It was Seth Rollins. He was sprinting, flying down that impossibly long ramp with his Money in the Bank briefcase. He was cashing in. Right now. In the middle of the main event.

The place lost its collective mind.

Rollins kicked Reigns out of the ring, went for the Curb Stomp on Lesnar, but Brock caught him for an F-5. Just then, Reigns came out of nowhere with a Spear to Lesnar! With the Beast taken out, Rollins bounced up, saw his one perfect moment, and hit a Curb Stomp on his old Shield brother.

One. Two. Three.

Seth Rollins, the guy who lost his match earlier in the night, had just pinned Roman Reigns to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. He snatched the belt, scrambled back up the ramp, and held it high as the show went off the air, creating the most electrifying and perfectly chaotic ending in WrestleMania history. It was a magic trick, a brilliant swerve that turned a predictable night into an all-time classic.