Seth Rollins Needs a Veteran to Establish Him as a Main Event Star

Seth Rollins is headed for a showdown with Roman Reigns at WWE Night of Champions on Sunday, September 21.  The match is a result of heat that has existed between the two men since the dissolution of The Shield back in June.

And while many fans are likely looking forward to this match, the fact is that it will not go very far in terms of helping Rollins improve his standing in the company.  In fact, Rollins needs a veteran talent to help establish him as a main event star.

From the moment that Rollins betrayed both Reigns and Dean Ambrose in The Shield, he became the Superstar to watch in WWE.  The reason for that was because when he ended the faction, he immediately joined another—The Authority.

Rollins was put at the right hand of Triple H in an enviable spot for any young talent looking to make a name for himself in the company.  After all, to be that close to The Game is to be that much closer to greatness, as Hunter is practically a legend in WWE.

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Triple H is a 13-time WWE and world heavyweight champion and has worked main event matches all over the world.  He is regarded by many fans as one of the best performers in WWE history, and even though he is not a full-time worker now, his influence can be used for those around him.

And Rollins definitely fits that description.

From a storyline perspective, that influence led Rollins to the title contract win at Money in the Bank.  Suddenly, the man who had been known as The Shield's architect became a real player in WWE.  Rollins was on his way up the ladder, and it was evident by the company he kept in The Authority.

But the biggest issue with Rollins' career right now is the fact that basically not much has happened for him in terms of moving forward.  Every week, he comes out with the briefcase and boasts about where he's going and then ultimately goes nowhere.

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It's a tricky situation for him right now, mostly because of the current champion, Brock Lesnar.  Lesnar is such a monstrous top star that anyone stepping into the ring with him must be of the same caliber for WWE to promote the matchup and make as much money as possible.

Essentially, Rollins may very well be on that level one day, but he's not right now.  And that should not be held against him.

If he is to keep the Money in the Bank briefcase for the foreseeable future, then Rollins must begin taking steps to secure that all-important main event spot.  But his most recent, and really only, feud with Ambrose has been the lone accomplishment of his solo career thus far.

Rollins and Ambrose had heat that absolutely boiled over every time they touched.  The Lunatic Fringe was out for revenge against the man that attacked him and destroyed The Shield.  He wanted to end any hopes that Rollins had of succeeding on his own, and he wanted to ensure that Triple H's new right-hand man would pay for his crimes.

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But the fact is that Dean was outnumbered by The Authority.  The odds were just too big to overcome, and on the August 18 edition of Raw, Ambrose was attacked and put out by Triple H's corporate hitmen.

Rollins can take credit for the assault, and it does go a long way to establishing his willingness to win at all costs.  He took out his biggest threat in Ambrose, and he's now targeting the second-biggest threat in Reigns.  It does look as though Rollins is in a good place.

However, Ambrose and Reigns are arguably on the same level as Rollins right now.  That means any victories that occur in rivalries between the three men make for lateral moves, not vertical.  In essence, The Shield's founders all just sit in the same place waiting for the next opponent to take them higher.

Reigns won his rivalry with Orton, and Ambrose's immediate future is in question until he returns.  That leaves Rollins, who is waiting for the next opponent to help him move up in the company.

Though he did work a mini-feud with Rob Van Dam, the truth is that Rollins is still where he was when he first betrayed The Shield.  Rollins needs that one big opponent, that one established star, to get him to that next level.  Reigns had that with Orton, and many fans likely now view Reigns as a bigger star than before.

But Rollins needs that now more than ever.  Kane is not the full-time performer that he once was, and Orton is still on a tier higher than Rollins.  That leaves the former Shield mastermind as the odd man out.  For many of the WWE faithful, rubbing elbows with The Authority is not enough; Rollins needs more to be considered a legitimate main event threat.

Rollins needs the rub that only a veteran star with championship credentials can give him.  Guys like Chris Jericho, Sheamus and The Big Show could be good for Rollins in the short term.  Each man can do his part to make Rollins look good, and that momentum can be carried on to the next feud that Rollins would need to win as well.

Rollins is in a great place in terms of his association with Triple H and The Authority.  But the next step is for him to begin the journey up the ladder of accomplishment in WWE, and that means working quality veteran opponents who can help him succeed.  Only then will Rollins become the true architect of his own future in WWE.