Analyzing Seth Rollins' Place in WWE After Title Win at WrestleMania 2015

Seth Rollins walked that aisle at WrestleMania 31 and became the man, winning his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  

For his fans, it was a much-anticipated moment to see him reach the top of the company. But for everyone else, it was not the epic main event success story WWE would have them believe.  

In fact, Rollins' actual place in the company is much different than it looks on TV.

It seemed like a slam dunk for Rollins.  How can successfully cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase during the main event of WrestleMania not secure the top spot in the company?  He's got the background to prove he's ready and the ability to prove he can get it done every time he's in the ring.

credit: wwe.com

He's also got some very influential support from Triple H and The Authority to ensure he walks away with all the glory.  So why doesn't the top spot belong to him now that he has the belt?  

To discover the answer to that, one must only look to John Cena.

Cena is still the primary moneymaker in WWE.  Despite who holds the top championship, WWE is still his company, and as long as that's the case, everyone else will be in second place.  Rollins is very good and can even be considered a top guy, but he's not the top guy.  And there is no changing that anytime soon.

The fact that Cena is the new United States champion only complicates the issue for Rollins.

credit: wwe.com

Putting the red-white-and-blue belt on Cena is a very big deal, as the title will now be elevated in the eyes of fans.  Cena will give the belt the credibility it deserves and the spotlight it needs to become relevant once again.

The U.S. Championship can no longer be considered a belt of lesser value.  The decision to give it to Cena was one made out of necessity, as WWE likely realized Rollins would not be strong enough to carry the company without some heavy backup.

That is where Daniel Bryan comes into play.

Bryan is the new intercontinental champion, which is also a very big deal for WWE.  This title used to be considered a very important one, but over the years it has lost some of its luster.  Around Bryan's waist, however, the belt will regain all of its prestige. He will lift the belt to the level it deserves.

credit: wwe.com

In each case, a secondary title will get some much-needed spotlight.  In both cases, the title does not make the man; the man makes the title.  It's a smart move by WWE, alone that should provide some great main event matches along the way both on TV and on pay-per-view.

And then there's Rollins, who's left with the richest prize in the industry.  For Rollins, the title will make the man, and though he will do everything in his power to enjoy it and reign with pride, it will not be enough. All of the responsibilities involved in holding the company's primary title still fall to him, but thanks to the other two belts, the pressure to carry the company forward does not.

But that does not mean Rollins will not deliver.

Rollins will own the role he plays; he will be the smarmy, conceited champion who operates with an undeserving sense of entitlement.  He will make the crowd hate him even though fans will want to cheer, and he will win matches he should lose.  He will be the paper champion a corporate group like The Authority wants, one who can be controlled and will rarely ever question the decisions made involving him.

He will submit to their will and do whatever they say.  He will become the most hated yes man in the industry and will do it all with a cocky smile on his face.  His character will believe he has conquered the top spot in the company, even though the man has not.

Rollins will thrive in his new place.  But with WWE's secondary championships resting with two of its premier main event talents, he cannot be considered the top guy.  He will not have the pressure of being the face of WWE or the demands that spot carries with it.  

He can simply have fun, getting better along the way and continuing to entertain fans everywhere in the process.  

That is a spot he can fully inhabit and embrace like no other.