Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: Seth Rollins in Limbo Until Expected Babyface Turn

1. The Architect in Transition

Seth Rollins remains in neutral, his character in need of clarity before he can shift into a higher gear.  

After Triple H betrayed his once-loyal protege, fans expected Rollins to rid himself of his villainous ways and become a full-fledged babyface. That has yet to happen, but he hasn't remained a heel, either.

Instead, Rollins exists in no man's land. The audience has no reason to root for or against him.

Rollins has started taking on Raw's heels, from Chris Jericho to Rusev, but his actions haven't said, "babyface." He still has that maniacal cackle. He's still a whiny, arrogant jerk.

If WWE wants fans to start cheering for Rollins, it has a long list of dastardly deeds to offset with heroic acts. As The Fan's Podcast pointed out, this is the same man who threatened to break Hall of Famer Edge's neck:

It looked as if Rollins was going to play the cavalry on Monday night.

Kevin Owens and Rusev beat on Roman Reigns inside a cage. The Architect charged down the ramp and leaped onto the heels from the top of the steel structure. But this wasn't Rollins saving the day; he was just joining the chaos.

Rollins made it clear in a recent tweet that he's still no fan of Reigns:

And so, just days away from Sunday's Clash of Champions pay-per-view, Rollins is set to battle a heel champion in Owens, but as a tweener of sorts. Rollins has yet to shed his old persona, even if he's playing more of a resilient face once the bell rings.

The transformation remains incomplete. And Rollins' momentum will suffer because of it.

He can't be a madman looking to burn the system to the ground, nor can he be a brave warrior taking down the contemptible. Rollins is instead mired in a gray area. Confusion rather than intrigue is the result.

WWE Creative Humor joked about just what role Rollins is playing right now:

Clash of Champions is a chance to cement Rollins' shift into a fan favorite. He can stand up to a bully. He can refuse to cheat and play the victim of Triple H's sneak attacks. 

But there has to be movement with his character. Rollins can't progress without it.

2. Women Kicking Off SmackDown

Among the many things SmackDown has been getting right since the brand split is its focus on women. 

The show is currently telling two female-centered narratives at a time. The chase for the SmackDown Women's Championship has earned a prominent spot on the stage. And the blue brand has made it a habit to kick things off with the women front and center.

On Tuesday's SmackDown, the show began with Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch. The rivals bickered during a contract signing for their title match at No Mercy on Oct. 9.

SmackDown also featured the women's division in its opening segment on Sept. 6 and Aug. 23. That's now three of the last five shows.

Along with keeping up that pattern, WWE should consider ending SmackDown with its female gladiators, as well. Lynch is most certainly a star worthy of the main event.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: Clash of Champions

Before it was the name of a pay-per-view, Clash of Champions was a WCW TV special that ran from 1988 to 1997.

The event was home to Sting's rise to superstardom, a classic between Dean Malenko and Rey Mysterio and plenty of Ric Flair. The Nature Boy dished out some top-notch trash talk before he and Sting took on Terry Funk and The Great Muta in 1989:

Flair promised blood and guts and showed off trademark panache. If anyone delivers a performance half that good at WWE's version of the Clash, fans will be in for a treat. 

4. Bring on the Next Tournament

The Cruiserweight Classic tournament couldn't have been more successful. WWE brought together 32 cruiserweights and put on an enthralling work of wrestling theater over the course of three months.

With that event now over, WWE must consider following the same blueprint for a new tourney, one featuring the world's best female wrestlers.

Should WWE bring in indy stars like Cheerleader Melissa, Japanese grapplers like Aoi Kizuki and little-known international talent, it will generate another compelling product.

The simplicity and stakes of the CWC led to a glut of great wrestling. Following that up with women warriors is a no-brainer.

5. Goldberg Headed to Another Ring?

After Goldberg signed a deal to be a part of the WWE 2K17 video game, speculation exploded about his potential return to WWE.

The 49-year-old, however, might be more likely to enter a different kind of athletic contest. Goldberg told Submission Radio (h/t TMZ) that a professional kickboxing fight is a possibility for him.

The former WCW champ said of the sport, "It's an addiction, and it satiates a lot of things for me and it also gives me a challenge. So never say never. You never say never."

Who knows if he could succeed in that world, but if he used his signature wrestling entrance, he would sure make the kickboxing event he was a part of more entertaining than usual.

6. Battle Scars

When T.J. Perkins emerged as the winner of the inaugural Cruiserweight Classic tournament last week, he came away with a medal, a trophy, the new Cruiserweight Championship and one hell of a souvenir on his neck.

Perkins wore a nasty bruise after the show, which the champ shared on Instagram:

That purplish mark is a result of his collision with Gran Metalik. His opponent chopped him raw during their excellent encounter.

It left behind another image to show folks who dismiss wrestling as "fake."

7. The Difficulty of Conquering Charlotte

The safest bet come PPV time in the last two years has been Charlotte.

WWE has booked the women's champ to be a force of nature. According to CageMatch.net, she is 13-1 and is undefeated in singles matches at PPVs.

That's unheard of. Even John Cena drops more bouts than that.

Bayley and Sasha Banks fans will be hoping that Charlotte's hot streak ends at Clash of Champions. They will both challenge the second-generation wrestler for the women's title in a Triple Threat clash. History says, though, that Charlotte simply doesn't fall when the lights are brightest.

8. Introducing Cedric Alexander 

In yet another surreal sight in a year full of them, former Ring of Honor star Alexander made his Raw debut on Monday.

He joined Rich Swann, Gran Metalik and Brian Kendrick as part of the new cruiserweight division. Fans unfamiliar with the athlete's exploits had to be wowed by his part in the Fatal 4-Way match that night.

To get a better sense of what Alexander is capable of, one should watch his matches from Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, ROH and elsewhere. These bouts offer quite a sampling of his work:

• Cedric Alexander vs. ACH: PWG Eleven
• Cedric Alexander vs. Michael Elgin: Pro Wrestling Xperience Taken By Force III 
• Cedric Alexander vs. Trevor Lee vs. Andrew Everett: PWG Mystery Vortex II
• Cedric Alexander vs. ACH: ROH/Preston City Wrestling Supershow of Honor (No Loud Noises)
• Cedric Alexander vs. Kota Ibushi: Cruiserweight Classic

Alexander can work a comedy match (as he did for PCW against ACH) or pull off a dramatic, hard-hitting affair like he had against Ibushi during the CWC tournament. He has looked good against powerhouses and high-flyers, grapplers and strikers.

WWE can bank on him thriving in the ring in his new home. 

9. Swagger as Fodder

SmackDown's newest signee Jack Swagger is the ideal prey for Baron Corbin.

The Lone Wolf's momentum after winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania has mostly faded. It's time now to see the rookie smash an opponent into the ground, to start climbing up the ladder again.

On Tuesday's SmackDown, Corbin rolled over Apollo Crews. He then stared down Swagger, hinting at a future clash between them.

WWE would be wise to make that rivalry one-sided. Dominating the former world champion each time out would make a far more powerful statement than simply beating him. To present Corbin as a fearsome monster, WWE should allow the audience to see him pull the flesh from Swagger's bones.

10. Another Funk Farewell

Terry Funk has retired so often that it's become a running joke.

Even so, it was hard not to tear up when Funk addressed the crowd (h/t Fightful) at the House of Hardcore show over the weekend. His latest goodbye was heartfelt, a reminder of how hard it is for an artist to hang up his brush.

Funk said, "I don't want to leave. I don't want to get out of this damn ring."

That speaks to the passion that Funk and many of his peers have about the business. Broken down or not, walking away from wrestling is a gutting experience for those who have spent the majority of their lives performing between those ropes.