The big problem with Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins, explained by Vince Russo (Exclusive)

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will face off in a Champion vs. Champion match at WWE Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia, on October 11. Vince Russo, WWE's former head writer, thinks the booking might confuse casual fans.

Rollins and Becky Lynch lost to AJ Lee and CM Punk at Wrestlepalooza on September 20. Two nights later, fans goaded Rollins by chanting Punk's name during his RAW promo segment with Rhodes.

Russo discussed Crown Jewel with host Dr. Chris Featherstone on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo. The 64-year-old questioned why WWE would immediately move Rollins into a new program when fans still associate him closely with Punk.

"So, Seth is in the opening [segment] with Cody Rhodes," Russo said. "We just had Wrestlepalooza, where CM Punk and AJ Lee went over Rollins and Becky, so that chapter is over. We're onto the next thing now, and now he's in the ring with freaking Cody. They're chanting for CM Punk, and that's what I'm talking about. Guys, that's over. They had the match. Punk and AJ Lee went over, now we're onto this next thing."

In the video above, Russo also explained why WWE is the worst thing he watches on television.

Vince Russo thinks CM Punk is overshadowing Seth Rollins' storyline

In 2024, Cody Rhodes became the WWE Crown Jewel Champion when he defeated Gunther in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After the match, he received a special title and a championship ring.

As Rhodes prepares to face Seth Rollins at the 2025 event, Vince Russo thinks the CM Punk situation is likely to bemuse new WWE fans.

"They're still chanting CM Punk, which makes it so confusing because, again, if one casual [fan] happened to be watching this, you're saying, 'Why are we chanting CM Punk when it's an angle over the ring?'"

Introduced in 2024, the men's Crown Jewel Championship match pits WWE's two male world title holders against each other. Cody Rhodes is the current Undisputed WWE Champion, while Seth Rollins holds the World Heavyweight Championship.

Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart