Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe: Predictions, Best Booking Options for WWE Raw Feud

Seth Rollins' collisions with Samoa Joe have only just begun, and the two enemies are poised to produce something magical before they are done with each other.

A feud that began on Joe's first night on WWE Raw promises to extend well into the summer. Joe attacked The Architect, tearing up his knee and putting Rollins' WrestleMania dreams in jeopardy. Rollins got a measure of revenge at the Payback pay-per-view with a pinfall win.

Joe, though, retaliated the next night, costing Rollins a shot at the Intercontinental Championship.

How does WWE proceed from here? How does it elevate both The Destroyer and the babyface standing in his way? What's ahead for Joe and the man he was sent to dismantle?

The following is a look at the rivalry, projecting its high points and laying ideal ways to reach them.

Let The Destroyer Destroy

The Samoan Submission Machine needs to go on a rampage after his loss at Payback. Slamming Rollins onto the floor with an uranage the next night was a start. More wreckage needs to be on its way, though.

WWE is still in the process of introducing Joe. He's only been on the main roster for a few months and largely faded into the background around WrestleMania.

The more WWE can establish Joe as a formidable force, the more it will mean should Rollins conquer him.

In the coming weeks, the heel must take out Rollins before a match, beat up on some unfortunate midcarder and amass a winning streak ahead of his rematch with The Architect.

Joe doesn't need to start flipping over ambulances a la Braun Strowman, but the audience does need to see him devour prey.

A Classic Is Coming

The amount of talent that will be in the ring for the Joe vs. Rollins battles ahead makes it a safe bet that something special happens. 

Rollins has consistently been one of WWE's top in-ring performers. Joe is a master storyteller and a slugfest artiste.

Their first collision offered a peek of what they're capable of doing. 

Rollins' victory over The Destroyer at Payback was one of the event's best contests. Hall of Famer Jim Ross blogged about the bout, "These are two, top-level talents who rose to the occasion Sunday night in San Jose. Stout, old school oriented bout."

And that was with a fluky victory and all. 

Should the bad blood between them grow, their next few matches should be even more compelling fare. With a more decisive ending and perhaps a Street Fight stipulation, a slobberknocker Match of the Year candidate is surely on the way.

A Faction Is Formed

Credit: WWE.com

Soon after Joe's arrival to the Raw brand, it looked clear that he would be part of a Triple H-led faction.

The Destroyer acted as The Game's hitman. He curried favor with The Authority.

But WWE has since all but dropped that storyline. 

Joe shouldn't be a free agent just yet. To help him gain early momentum and assure him high-profile storylines, WWE needs to pair him with other bruisers who do Triple H's bidding.

Back in February, Marc Normandin of Cageside Seats wrote, "Triple H as the manager of a stable of NXT staples—Owens, Joe, maybe The Revival as the tag team—would make a whole lot of sense."

That holds true today. WWE could bring spotlight to a number of stars at once. Joe could align with the likes of the United Kingdom's Pete Dunne, Nia Jax from the women's division and the hard-hitting duo of Cesaro and Sheamus.

Going this route would immediately add depth to the Rollins-Joe rivalry and give The Destroyer a means to be a major player for Raw.

The Kingslayer Will Add Another Trophy to His Wall

When this personal war is over, Rollins will emerge the victor.

This is a story ripe for a knight-conquers-the-dragon narrative. Rollins is likely charging into the Universal Championship picture; Joe's spot on the card is far less established.

Nothing demonstrates that more than the fact that Rollins battled future Hall of Famer Triple H at WrestleMania 33 while Joe didn't make the card at all.

Joe will have to play the stepping stone although he'll get one PPV win over the babyface in the process.

So often in WWE, however, the hero wins in the end. Rollins is poised to follow in the footsteps of John Cena, Roman Reigns and others in that respect.