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Seth Rollins turned heel again during this week's episode of Monday Night RAW and while fans probably knew it was coming, the impact of this move could have some pretty surprising effects on the future. In fact, it could have a wide range of implications for WrestleMania 36 and even put Rollins on a collision course with none other than CM Punk.
Whether it actually happens or not remains to be seen, but here are five signs that WWE is setting up for a Seth Rollins versus CM Punk match at WrestleMania 36.
#5 Bringing the fans into it
Rollins blamed The WWE Universe for his eventual heel turn this week on RAW and it really struck a chord. In fact, it almost seemed like WWE had him address the fans directly as a way to make them more than just a casual observer in the storyline and bring them up to the level of a participant.
With that being said and fans now being blamed for Rollins' heel turn, wouldn't it make sense for someone like CM Punk to come to their rescue? Sure, WWE can have Kevin Owens be that savior in the short term and even play around with the idea of Punk coming out of retirement in the process, but it sure seems like the company is hinting at some kind of collision between The Beast Slayer and Punk.
And the best part is that WWE seems to be wanting to involve fans in the matter too, which should make their eventual rivalry extremely interesting to watch. Think back to CM Punk versus The Rock at The 2013 Royal Rumble pay-per-view and you start to see the kind of magic that could go into a match like this.
#4 Seth Rollins' pipebomb
Didn't Rollins' pipebomb on RAW seem familiar?
While he addressed The WWE Universe and not the entire company, the segment still had that same cathartic energy to it. Beyond that, the fans were so irate after watching him align with The AOP and ganging up on Kevin Owens, that Rollins had everyone's attention when he came out to speak.
If nothing else, it seemed like WWE was trying to tell us something with that segment and had some cleverly built-in similarities between this one and the original. It had that same energy, the same unpredictable feeling, and, most of all, the same landscape-changing response as Punk's.
Of course, there is the possibility of reading too much into this and trying to paint similarities where they don't exist, but that doesn't seem to be the case with the interactions the two have had lately. In fact, between Rollins cutting a similar style promo to their ongoing beef online, it feels like this was an absolutely intentional move by WWE.
In the end, we will all have to wait and see whether that is true or not, but then again, there are too many similarities involved here to be ignored. The reasoning for the match-up between the two is also there, which should have everyone interested in what happens next!
#3 Rollins' heel turn
Everything happens for a reason and the same has to be true for Rollins's long-awaited heel turn. Of course, a lot of people are going to say it was due to negative reactions from the fans, or due to the fact that he stepped into the ring with The Fiend, but it might just be something else entirely.
In fact, between the heel turn happening only a month before The Road to WrestleMania 36 and his mini-feud with Punk on Twitter, this could be a way for the company to set up a match between the two. Interestingly enough, however, the biggest indicator that WWE wants to eventually do Rollins versus Punk has to do with The Kingslayer's alliance with The AOP.
Keep in mind that while WWE never officially went through with the move, The Shield was supposed to be a hired hand for CM Punk to help him keep retaining his championship back in 2012. This means that the addition of AOP to create a new, Shield-esque faction isn't only going to be for just heel heat, but also for the company to go back to where it all began.
That way, AOP can get the rub for the time being, Rollins can thrive as a heel champion, and Punk can eventually call him out on all of it!
#2 Rollins himself asking for a fight
What more proof do you need?
No, seriously, Seth Rollins outright challenges CM Punk to a wrestling match and people still think WWE isn't trying to pull off something here? Come on! This is WWE we're talking about. The same company that is a genius when it comes to blurring the lines between fiction and reality to create a delectable stew of content.
And the best part of this is that it can draw this thing out slowly. In fact, between Punk still in retirement (technically), Rollins a newly-minted heel for the first time in years, and WrestleMania still a long way away, the company has all the time in the world to make this feud happen.
Think about it this way. If everything we have seen so far is nothing more than a cheap way to grab attention, why is WWE going out of its way to make Rollins the antithesis of Punk? Why are they showcasing the contrasts between the two characters, and even having them butt heads, in the first place?
There is no point in doing so if the company isn't setting these two up for something. Otherwise, it would just be a waste of television time and the company isn't in the business of doing that.
#1 Punk no-showing Rollins WWE Backstage interview
Rollins made an appearance on WWE Backstage a couple of weeks ago and while the interview was intriguing to watch, the absence of one particular person was extremely telling. Unfortunately for The Kingslayer and The WWE Universe, Punk wasn't there for the interview with the former Universal Champion and Rollins was not too happy about it.
Keep in mind this move came only a handful of days after a heated Twitter exchange between the two, which had fans wondering if this was leading to something. With that being said, those rumors only intensified once it became clear that Punk and Rollins wouldn't be sitting down together.
"Here's someone who's been in the doldrums for the last few years because he got his butt kicked in the Octagon," Rollins said when asked about Punk, "so bad he didn't want to show his face anywhere, now he shows back up on a WWE show. It's called WWE Backstage show. You can say it's an FS1 show all you want, which it is, and you may be paid by FOX, but that show doesn't exist without our company, the company that you left five years ago."
In the end, actions speak louder than words, and Punk's absence spoke volumes about what is to come between the two. Interestingly enough, Rollins' recent heel turn seems to be yet another sign that this is going to happen in some capacity.
