Seth Rollins has enjoyed a remarkable career in WWE, winning nearly every major singles title the company has to offer. However, despite his success, Rollins has often felt like he hasn’t been seen as the company’s “top guy” in the way that figures like John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes have. During a recent appearance on the Insight podcast with Chris Van Vliet, Rollins opened up about his feelings regarding Rhodes winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40.
“I felt joy, probably a little bit of jealousy,” Rollins admitted. “But I don’t know, I’ve never really been the guy that’s been handed the ball that way. For the last 10 years it’s been Roman for the most part, and then Cody comes back and he kind of gets that treatment as well.” Rollins acknowledged that while he always believed he could be “that guy,” it wasn’t in the cards for him in the eyes of the decision-makers at WWE. Despite this, Rollins expressed a sense of happiness for Rhodes and recognized that their shared success marked a significant achievement, but also noted the underlying feeling of professional jealousy.
Rollins also reflected on how his contributions have indirectly played a role in the success of others, such as Reigns and Rhodes. He believes that without his efforts, they wouldn’t have achieved the same level of success. However, Rollins stressed that this mindset comes from his commitment to putting the business first, and helping the company grow benefits everyone in the long run.
Praise for Drew McIntyre
Rollins also took time to praise Drew McIntyre, another top WWE star who has faced similar struggles. McIntyre, who defeated Rollins at WrestleMania 40 to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion before losing the title to Damian Priest, has also worked hard to make a name for himself, especially after being released by WWE years ago.
“There’s some things that don’t go your way all the time when you’re kind of wrapped up in yourself, but Drew had a really good year after that,” Rollins said. “He does deserve the spotlight. He works really hard. He’s a guy who got fired and came back. He didn’t leave on his own, he got let go because he didn’t know what he was doing, and he went and put in the work and then came back a totally different version of himself and has continued to improve.” Rollins continued by acknowledging McIntyre’s in-ring talents, saying that whether he’s on the mic or in a match, McIntyre is one of the best WWE has to offer.
Common Enemy: CM Punk
Rollins and McIntyre have both had to deal with the ongoing presence of CM Punk over the past several months. McIntyre’s 2024 has been largely dominated by his pursuit of Punk, while Rollins had his own confrontation with Punk, losing to the former AEW World Champion on the January 6 episode of WWE Raw.