Examining Seth Rollins' Role in WWE Battleground 2016 Triple Threat Feud

On the mat and in the narrative, Seth Rollins will be the heart and foundation of the Triple Threat world title match at WWE Battleground 2016.

When he, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose roamed WWE as The Shield, The Architect was the group's glue. He was the best in-ring artist of the three and often the focal point of the trio's storylines. That will hold true now that all three men are set to battle each other.

After a No. 1 Contender's match on Monday's Raw between Rollins and Reigns ended in a double count-out, newly crowned champ Ambrose put a quick end to any possible controversy.

He welcomed a fight with both men. Raw co-general manager Shane McMahon liked that way of thinking and booked a Triple Threat showdown with the warriors who once formed The Shield.

Each man is vital to this contest. Each plays a distinct part. Rollins' role is two-fold—ring general and plot device. 

In The Ring

Rollins' presence assures the Battleground main event will be a classic.

Both Reigns and Ambrose can deliver in big matches, but The Architect spent much of 2015 proving that he is in the conversation as WWE's top in-ring performer. An amazing athlete and a gifted storyteller, Rollins will elevate the Triple Threat match in a major way. 

Every time out, he does something that wows the audience.

And as one of WWE's best at selling his opponents' offense, he is sure to make Reigns' power moves and Ambrose's unconventional attack look especially devastating. The way his body collapses after taking a Superman Punch or how an Ambrose clothesline flips him over will add exclamation points to the bout.

Credit: WWE.com

Beyond that, Rollins manages to pull an audience in like few can.

During his matches with Reigns at both Money in the Bank and the following Raw, the fans hesitated to engage at first. Blame the ongoing distaste for Reigns. The Big Dog has to win over crowds anew each night.

Rollins aided him in that process two matches in a row. As PWTorch columnist Sean Radican pointed out, the two rivals were able to turn the crowd around:

"

Reigns vs Rollins... Crowd didn't care early but man these two really made the crowd care. Some good near falls and then a sick counter...

— SeanRadican (@SeanRadican) June 21, 2016"

With all the hype sure to surround this upcoming Triple Threat, and with the addition of the popular Ambrose to the mix, there won't be a need to wake up the audience like that. Fans will be shaking with anticipation when that bell rings.

In that kind of environment, with two quality foils in the ring with him, Rollins is going to produce something special at Battleground.

The Catalyst

As Reigns continues his evolution as a character, Rollins will prove to be the key to that shift.

Each man in the Triple Threat match at Battleground is straddling the line between babyface and heel. Reigns is more vicious than one would expect from a fan favorite, Ambrose is showing no allegiance to his longtime ally Reigns and Rollins is a villain in name only.

This landscape of ambiguous alignments will allow WWE to toy with who these wrestlers are, ending the Triple Threat feud with each of them playing different roles.

Despite supposedly being the one heel in the bunch, it's hard to boo Rollins right now. Will Pruett of ProWrestling.net wrote, "Rollins is the sentimental favorite, especially after being cheated out of a title he worked hard to come back and earn."

In the build to Money in the Bank, WWE aired clips of Rollins gutting out the rehab process, desperately trying to get back into the ring. That very babyface promo clashed with Rollins' indignant and fan-bashing character.

The confusion worsened as Rollins battled to reclaim his world title on Sunday's pay-per-view.

He essentially played the face role in his championship match with Reigns. The audience gave him a hero's welcome during his entrance:

Rollins was resilient and gutsy, showing great heart in the face of being outmatched. Reigns, meanwhile, was a methodical predator who seemed to enjoy hurting his foe.

Then, after besting Reigns fairly, The Architect had the title snatched from him thanks to an Ambrose Money in the Bank cash-in. All that is what WWE usually used to generate sympathy for its fan favorites.

Brandon Stroud of UPROXX called Rollins the only babyface in this story:

That strange dynamic will add layers to the Battleground clash. It will have Ambrose move further into tweener status and Reigns finally make the move he has long needed.

WWE has to adjust how it handles Reigns, giving up on trying to get him cheered and turn him heel. Fans obviously want to root for Rollins, and there are elements to build on to make a character switch with him.

Reigns will grow increasingly aggressive. He'll make Rollins his victim, providing a means for a double turn. 

Regardless of who ends up with the title at the end of Battleground, both Rollins and Reigns are set for victories in the form of sliding over to more fitting roles.