Seth Rollins Will Return To WWE Better Than Ever

Seth Rollins' injury last November could not have come at a worse time. In the midst of his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship reign, it seemed that he was never able to reach the full potential that his run had. Not to say he wasn't on his way to getting there, though. Rollins had classic matches with Cena and Ambrose, an intriguing battle with Brock Lesnar, and even added the United States Title to his resume on the way. But a torn MCL and ACL abruptly cut short a reign that may have been leading him to a main event match against The Game, Triple H. Guess we'll never know what would've been. But that's what makes Rollins' pending return to the ring that much more interesting.

Recently, it's been reported that Rollins has been training and is well on his way to returning to WWE. Seth isn't the only wrestler out due to injury. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Neville are also on a long list of injuries that have downright plagued WWE since 2015. No disrespect to any of the other wrestlers that are out, but Rollins' return seems to be the most important, or at least most impactful one.

Keep in mind, Rollins never lost the WWE Championship. There's loose ends to the storyline of Seth as champion. So many angles could come out of this. Triple H will most likely lose the title at Wrestlemania 32 to Roman Reigns. This is a longshot, but could Rollins be involved in some capacity of that main event? Will he return and take back his spot in the Authority? Surely, Rollins will receive a huge positive crowd reaction upon his return. I know, he's supposed to be a heel. But think back to Triple H's return at Madison Square Garden over a decade ago. Full blown heel, but got one of the biggest pops of all time when his music hit. Rollins may experience something similar. That's where things get tricky. If the plan was for him to eventually feud with Triple H, does Rollins ride the momentum to become a babyface and move into that program? And what about the title? Will we see Rollins take on Reigns, assuming we know the finish of 'Mania 32? Like I said, there's so many possibilities.

There's no risk in saying that Seth Rollins will return better than ever, even though he's coming off a serious injury. He's a rare athletic specimen. Before the injury, he was really hitting his stride on the mic and as a character. The spoiled, protected golden boy was becoming a man, a real force in WWE. His match with John Cena at last year's Summerslam illustrated how good he really is. Who could forget Rollins taking the cross body from Cena, rolling though, lifting him up, and tossing him onto his shoulders for the Attitude Adjustment? That sequence alone said so much about Rollins. He can take on anyone and deliver in the most high pressure situations.

Seth Rollins is a student of the game. His rapid rise to the top of Ring of Honor and the WWE's main roster didn't happen by accident. The guy is constantly learning, training, and doing anything he can to get better. Right about now, he's itching to get back into the ring. He's desperate to show that this injury did not derail his momentum. He's ready to take it. Sometimes, for a guy to break through to the next level, it takes something catastrophic to allow reflection. Rollins has had a lot of time to reflect, to see the little holes in his work, and how he's going to get to the highest tier of WWE.

Rollins' return to WWE is going to shake things up. It's going to jump start the brand in a way it so desperately needs. With Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose currently filling the top of the card, Rollins immediately has "top guy" feuds to enter. Looming is the possibility that he will square off against his mentor, Triple H. The stars could be aligning for Rollins, and make no mistake about it, he's ready to cement his status as the best wrestler in the company.

The fact of the matter is WWE needs Rollins. His importance to the future of the company is unquestionable. What's interesting is that long term, the more important thing about 2016 might not be Wrestlemania 32, but rather the return of Seth Rollins.

That's a bold statement, but one that Rollins can't wait to prove to be true.

Brady Sauvageau
The Heater