Examining Best Feuds for Seth Rollins After WWE Payback 2015

At WWE Payback on May 17, Seth Rollins will face the greatest challenge yet in his reign as WWE World Heavyweight champion when he battles Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Randy Orton in a Fatal 4-Way match.

The contest, the marquee bout of the pay-per-view extravaganza, should effectively wrap up Rollins' ongoing feud with The Viper while planting the seeds for programs with both Reigns and Ambrose going forward.

But are those two rivalries the best fits for Rollins in the wake of Payback or are there other Superstars who would better complement the character fans have come to hate over the last year?

There is the once-demonic Director of Operations, Kane, whom he repeatedly talks down to and treats as a washed-up veteran. There is also the company's resident Showoff, who has more than his fair share of animosity toward The Architect.

And what about Chief Operating Officer Triple H, who has also found himself on the receiving end of Rollins' arrogance since WrestleMania?

There are a wealth of options at the company's disposal, but only a few that fit best.

Roman Reigns

The minute Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase and robbed Reigns of his opportunity to leave WrestleMania 31 with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, fans knew it was only a matter of time before the juggernaut came looking to avenge the biggest heartbreak of his professional career.

Reigns' involvement in the WWE title bout at Payback would seem to indicate that the company's creative staff is about to jump the shark, missing out on the opportunity to build the match slowly and perhaps waiting until next year's WrestleMania to execute the title switch.

But that is not necessarily the case. Reigns' involvement at Payback keeps him in the title hunt without necessarily pulling the trigger on the potential big-money match.

While booking him against the likes of Daniel Bryan and Brock Lesnar drew boos from the audience, Reigns battling the hated Authority is a surefire way to turn those boos into cheers and give WWE its first great rivalry between two full-time performers in years.

Dean Ambrose

The Lunatic Fringe never really had the opportunity to get payback on The Authority or Rollins in particular, thanks to the involvement of Bray Wyatt and the transition into that program.

With momentum on his side following a big win at Extreme Rules and a title opportunity on May 17, a feud between Ambrose and Rollins could easily carry the company through the doldrums of the summer months—at least up until SummerSlam.

It would give the chaotic Superstar the main event run many suggested he should have had last year while keeping the spotlight on Rollins, who is the undisputed best heel in WWE today.

Ambrose is over to the point that he could easily supplant Reigns as the future face of the company if his anti-hero persona catches on enough.

The pop he received in Chicago at Extreme Rules was one of the loudest of the night and suggests that, even lost in the midcard as he was earlier in the year, he remains one of the most popular stars on the roster.

What would it hurt to give him a shot at making a splash this summer?

Brock Lesnar

The best feud for Rollins after Payback involves the man he screwed out of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, Brock Lesnar.

The Beast Incarnate was the most dominant star in the industry, tearing through the likes of John Cena and Big Show with ease and ending the legendary undefeated streak of Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Then, in the blink of an eye and upon the cashing-in of a briefcase, it was gone, his title reign erased by an opportunistic villain. The following night on Raw, anger got the best of the former champion as he demolished anyone in his path, leading to an indefinite suspension.

With SummerSlam approaching and WWE sure to pull out all the stops to deliver in what is its second-most important show of the year, Lesnar should be back, and the first person he should seek out is Rollins.

A feud between those two would not only make for great television given the seeds that have already been planted, but it would also suggest to the audience that WWE sees Rollins as being on the same level as someone like Lesnar, who is a box office attraction.

In short, it would benefit all involved and give the premier event a worthy headline bout.