How Should the WWE Pivot Following a Legitimate Injury to a Six-Time World Champion?
On the October 13th episode of Monday Night Raw, the wrestling world turned upside down when the Vision turned on Seth Rollins. The betrayal sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling community and left fans wondering why Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed would turn their back on the Visionary. A new report has been released, addressing this event. According to PWInsider, the six-time World Champion suffered a legitimate shoulder injury in his match against Cody Rhodes at the Crown Jewel Premium Live Event. Due to this injury, the WWE had to pivot to the Vision, turning on him to write Rollins off of television, as this injury will require surgery, and he will be out for several months. Now, the Revolutionary is the current World Heavyweight Champion, meaning in all likelihood, he will have to vacate the title. So, how should the WWE pivot now that their main championship on the Red brand is left without a titleholder? Let’s dive in!
First things first, Rollins is legitimately injured. Some WWE fans and superstars might not believe that because he was able to pull off a fake injury in the summer that led to him cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. He is hurt, and he will be out for a long time. Now, as for who could hold the world title in Rollins' absence, there are a few options, but the one that makes the most sense is the Best in the World: CM Punk. The Chicago native is the number one contender for the world title after winning a Triple Threat match on the aforementioned episode of Raw. His face is already plastered on the poster for the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event special that will air on November 1st. Punk was scheduled to face Rollins for the championship at the event, but now it would be wise for the WWE to crown the Second City Saint at the event so he can reclaim the championship he lost at the Biggest Party of the Summer. Punk winning the championship also sets up feuds with LA Knight, Jey Uso, the Vision, and Roman Reigns, to name a few.
The Voice of the Voiceless is on a path to reclaim the World title ever since losing it at SummerSlam, and now it looks like he will reclaim it sooner than expected. As we approach the end of the year and start towards WrestleMania season, having a star like CM Punk holding Raw’s top prize during the World Wide Leader in Sports Entertainment’s biggest season would help them in their time off need and also build excitement and anticipation for what the WWE has planned for his reign as World Heavyweight Champion. A colossal match between Punk and Reigns at WrestleMania XLII could be a direction the WWE decides to go, or Punk could drop the belt to a future star of the business, Breakker, on the grandest stage of them all. There are a plethora of options that the WWE has due to Rollins’ injury, but the one that is most clear and popular is to crown CM Punk as the new World Heavyweight Champion.
