- Seth Rollins reportedly suffered a significant shoulder injury that will possibly require surgery and sideline him for several months.
- An official update on Rollins and the status of the World Heavyweight Championship will be provided on the Oct. 20 episode of Raw.
- If the injury is confirmed, Rollins will likely have to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship.
The World Heavyweight Championship is no longer in the vision for Seth Rollins.
Raw general manager Adam Pearce confirmed on the Monday, Oct. 20 edition of Raw Rollins had ‘major surgery’ and will be out of action ‘for quite a while’ due to a significant shoulder injury. As a result, the World Heavyweight Championship has been stripped from Rollins.
The injury comes on the heels of the shocking betrayal from Rollins’ stablemates Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed and Paul Heyman on Oct. 13.
While Pearce said the surprise attack was why Rollins needed surgery, it was reported the injury happened before then and was done to write him off TV. Fans were rightfully cautious of any Rollins injury news after he pulled off the ‘Ruse of the Century’ when he appeared to suffer a devastating leg injury in July, only to return a month later to cash in his Money in the Bank contract in stunning fashion.
However, the injury is in fact real, and it’s a significant blow to WWE’s plans. Here is what to know about Rollins’ injury:
What happened to Seth Rollins?
According to multiple reports, Rollins suffered a significant shoulder injury at WWE Crown Jewel 2025, where he faced Cody Rhodes for the Crown Jewel Championship.
It’s not clear when the injury happened or how it occurred, but wrestling reporter Dave Meltzer said in a recent edition of the ‘Wrestling Observer Radio’ that Rollins is ‘100%’ having surgery.
The sudden attack by The Vision on Rollins likely was a way to write off Rollins from on-screen so he could undergo surgery and begin his rehab.
How long will Seth Rollins be out?
A definitive timeline is unknown, but Rollins ‘is on the shelf for quite a while.’ Before Raw, Meltzer said the extent of Rollins’ injury is unknown, but he is expected to miss several months.
‘They don’t know all the damage in his shoulder and they will find out the damage when they open him up and when they do the surgery,’ Meltzer said. ‘He’s out for months for sure.’
Will Seth Rollins vacate World Heavyweight Championship?
Yes, Pearce stripped the World Heavyweight Championship from Rollins.
Pearce announced a new World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned at Saturday Night’s Main Event on Nov. 1. CM Punk, who became the No. 1 contender for the title last week, will have a shot at the championship and his opponent will be determined in a battle royale that will take place during Raw.
It is similar to what happened to Rhea Ripley in 2024. After she suffered a shoulder injury in April 2024, Ripley was forced to vacate the Women’s World Championship. Ripley eventually returned three months later.
Seth Rollins injury history
The possible injury would be another devastating one for Rollins, as his WWE career has been plagued by them − and it wouldn’t be the first time he has had to give up a title.
It’s mostly been leg injuries that have bothered Rollins, which started in November 2015 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus in his right knee during a live event in Ireland. He was the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and had to relinquish the title as he required surgery, missing seven months of action.
Rollins re-tore the MCL in the same knee in January 2017. Despite requiring another surgery, he didn’t miss much time. He tore his meniscus in his left knee in January 2024, but even though he was injured, Rollins still appeared in WWE in the build-up to WrestleMania 40 and wrestled in both nights of the event. He missed two months of action following the event.
It was believed he suffered another knee injury at Saturday Night’s Main Event in July, when he appeared to take a bad landing in a match against LA Knight. Rollins looked visibly injured and the match had a quick ending so he could be assisted out of the ring. The injury was thought to sideline him for months and images of him showed Rollins wearing a brace with crutches.
However, it was all a ruse as he shockingly returned at SummerSlam in August and dropped the injury act so he could cash in his Money in the Bank contract on longtime rival CM Punk to win the title.
While knee injuries have mostly been Rollins’ issue, he’s also dealt with back problems.
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