Seth Rollins to headline SummerSlam with 6-time WWE World Champion inside Hell in a Cell? Potential explored
Seth Rollins unsuccessfully attempted to cash in the Money in the Bank contract during the main event match between Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena and Rollins' sworn enemy, CM Punk, at WWE Night of Champions: Riyadh. Having screwed over CM Punk once again in the process, the inevitable blowoff match between the two men seems closer following the weekend in Saudi Arabia.
With Roman Reigns still nowhere to be seen, it seems increasingly likely that Rollins and Punk, 1-1, will settle the score in one of the featured matches at SummerSlam. The extent of animosity between them warrants a hellacious stipulation, and while an "I Quit" match or a 'Dog Collar' match could happen, the best way to put this fiasco to bed seems to be 'Hell in a Cell.'
CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, inside Hell in a Cell, were engaged in, perhaps, the most brutal WWE match in several years at WWE Bad Blood 2024. The match was voted 'Match of the Year' in various polls. Meanwhile, in 2022, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins battled in one of the greatest and most iconic matches of the decade, also inside Hell in a Cell.
Rollins and Punk clearly have incredible chemistry, as evident in their matches earlier this year on Monday Night RAW's Netflix Premiere and the MSG edition of RAW. At that time, The Architect and The Second City Saint had two incredible babyface vs. babyface matches. With Seth Rollins now a despised heel, the best way to top those two incredible matches and provide a fitting end to this storied feud has to be inside Hell in a Cell.
Tensions between both men have been simmering since the night of CM Punk's epic return at WWE Survivor Series 2023. The two men have been actively going after one another since Punk returned from his torn triceps injury. Given the history, the emotion, the star power, and the high likelihood of the match potentially being one of the best of the year, the match is a strong contender to main-event SummerSlam.
Given Rollins' status as Mr. MITB, if he cashes in the contract within the next few weeks, Punk vs. Rollins III could have the World Heavyweight Championship on the line, too. In that case, Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk would certainly be the favorite to main event Night One of SummerSlam.
Having already been screwed out of the title by Rollins in Saudi Arabia, this time, with Rollins, and not Cena against him, the crowd wouldn't be split 50/50. The WWE Universe in New Jersey would be firmly behind The Voice of the Voiceless in his quest to win a seventh world championship in WWE, and his first WWE title in 12 years.
Could a ghost of Seth Rollins' past cost him the World Heavyweight Championship and become the roadblock in his plans?
A Hell in a Cell match is not just supposed to exacerbate the violence and brutality of the match; it is also supposed to contain it. The cell is also supposed to act as a deterrent against any sort of outside interference, which is likely in the case of a Seth Rollins match these days, given his alliance with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
However, should these shenanigans take place in spite of the cell (and this isn't unprecedented), it would be the perfect setup for the return of The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. He could, perhaps even alongside his Bloodline allies, Jey Uso or Sami Zayn, even the odds for Punk in his quest for revenge against Seth Rollins. While far from Reigns' intentions, this would also help CM Punk win the World Heavyweight Championship.
This way, Reigns would also replay the "favor," not the Survivor Series one he owes CM Punk, but the one where Reigns cost Punk the Steel Cage match against Rollins at MSG. Reigns and Punk are by no means friends, but the RAW after WrestleMania clearly teased an alliance between the two to combat Seth Rollins. Much like Reigns and Cody Rhodes last year, the OTC and the Second City Saint could even form a dream team for a one-off tag match.
These developments could finally get CM Punk out of the "Seth Rollins vortex," as some people unfavorably term it, and kickstart the build to a one-on-one feud between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, one of the biggest matches possible in WWE, and a potential WrestleMania 42 main event.
