Seth Rollins' Victory at WrestleMania 31 Cements Status as Future of WWE

When Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 31 and won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, he cemented his status as one of the cornerstones of the company heading into the future.

Since turning on his brothers in The Shield and aligning with The Authority, Rollins has been heralded as the future of WWE, and walking out of the biggest pay-per-view with the company’s top title has ensured his legitimacy.

Few men on the WWE roster have talked as much trash as Rollins, but he backed it up at WrestleMania.

Winning the world title by pinning Roman Reigns would have been enough to turn many WWE Superstars face in front of the raucous crowd, but the way he cashed in helped build the credibility of his weasel heel character.

The victory is a testament to the hard work Rollins has put in. A cash-in attempt had never occurred at WrestleMania, and the fact that the honor was bestowed on the former Money in the Bank winner shows the support he has backstage.

Not only has he been the focal point of many top storylines for several months, but the company also put its top title on him at WrestleMania, which proves that the people calling the shots have supreme confidence in him.

And why shouldn’t they? As of Sunday night, Rollins is the top heel on the active roster. With Brock Lesnar getting face reactions from the fans and Triple H and Stephanie not considered Superstars for the most part, Rollins is the most hated man in the company who wrestles on a regular basis.

That's a lot of weight for a 28-year-old prodigy to carry, but he can handle it.

For years, hardcore wrestling fans have understood the in-ring talent of Rollins, but it was nearly impossible to predict how entertaining he would become on the mic as his career progressed. He can still put on a five-star match with almost anyone, but he now has the skills to cut convincing promos, and that's what makes him a legitimate champion.

As seen in matches against Dean Ambrose, Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton and many others, Rollins is always putting on show-stealing matches. As champion, he will put on quality matches on a regular basis. Lesnar wrestles only a handful of times each year, but Rollins will be on television every week putting in the work.

The key now for the WWE Creative team is to book Rollins correctly. It is a foregone conclusion that the rivalry against Randy Orton will continue into Extreme Rules, but Reigns should also get involved at some point. Whether it's a Triple Threat match or Rollins feuds with Reigns after Orton, the three men are connected.

The ultimate goal, though, should be a singles match against Lesnar, preferably at SummerSlam.

Lesnar is the biggest attraction in WWE right now, and putting Rollins in the main event against the bona fide PPV draw would add more legitimacy to his character and his reign as champion.

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