There’s never a good time for a champion to go down, but the knee injury to WWE champion Seth Rollins (Colby Lopez, 29) on the first night of the company’s European tour exposed just how little depth the company has on top.
With Daniel Bryan out due to concussion issues, Randy Orton out due to shoulder surgery and John Cena on sabbatical, believed to be hosting a network reality television show, the company, on one of its biggest house show tours of the year, was left with one star babyface–Roman Reigns, and with Kevin Owens as the closest thing to a main star heel.
Rollins was wrestling Kane for the WWE title in the main event on 11/4 in Dublin. Rollins did a spot where he came off the top rope with a sunset flip that was to continue into power bombing Kane off the top rope through a table. However, on landing, Rollins’s right knee gave out and he collapsed. He did get up and followed by power bombing Kane through the table, and finished the match, winning with a pedigree.
He was diagnosed with a torn ACL, a torn MCL and a torn medial meniscus. He underwent reconstructive knee surgery on 11/10, performed by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas of the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, in Birmingham, AL. He’s expected out of action for six to nine months, putting him out of WrestleMania and making SummerSlam 2016 as a likely return period.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back tonight to talk all the news in pro-wrestling including tons of thoughts on Raw from Monday night, the tournament matches, live reports and why it appeared the crowd was so dead, New Japan’s announcements for the Tokyo Dome and the G-1 Tag League Tournament, Dorian Roldan talks AAA and Alberto, Cibernetico may or may not have quit, tons of mailbag questions and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
The bracketing for the WWE World Championship tournament which starts tonight on Raw and will continue with first round matches at Smackdown goes like this:
Roman Reigns vs. Big Show (Reigns winning) versus the Cesaro vs. Sheamus winner (Cesaro winning).
Alberto Del Rio vs. Stardust winner (takes place tomorrow at the Smackdown tapings in Manchester) versus the Kalisto vs. Ryback winner (takes place tomorrow).
Kevin Owens vs. Titus O’Neil (Owens winning) versus the Neville vs. Barrett winner (takes place tomorrow).
Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz (Ziggler winning) vsersus Dean Ambrose vs. Tyler Breeze (Ambrose winning).
The winner of the Reigns vs. Cesaro match will face the winner coming out of Del Rio vs. Stardust and Kalisto vs. Ryback series in one semifinal.
The other semifinal will be Owens versus the Neville vs. Barrett winner against the winner of Ambrose vs. Ziggler.
If this goes via predictable patterns (and we are told it will be fairly predictable) the semifinals would be Reigns vs. Del Rio and Ambrose vs. Owens.
Raw kicks off at 8 ET/5 PT tonight for a show taped this afternoon in Manchester, England. Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer will review the entire show later on tonight on Wrestling Observer Radio.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today for two full hours to talk all the news of the weekend — Seth Rollins, the Survivor Series tournament, Bellator and UFC results and upcoming big fights, New Japan Power Struggle and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
We have a packed weekend edition of Wrestling Observer Radio tonight! Tons to discuss including UFC from Brazil with the Dan Henderson vs. Vitor Belfort main event, more on New Year’s Eve in Japan with Fedor Emelianenko, New Japan Power Struggle, Alberto actually gets cleared to do a non-WWE match, Seth Rollins surgery and comeback update and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with a FREE show today talking all the news in WWE regarding Seth Rollins and where they go from here, the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame issue available now for subscribers and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with a huge show. Dave Meltzer joins us to talk all the news on Seth Rollins being injured and stripped of the WWE Title, thoughts on the newest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and more! Plus, Caleb Konley joins us to talk indy wrestling, EVOLVE this weekend and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Rollins was doing a power bomb spot out of the corner when his knee buckled and he collapsed. He finished the match but then needed to be helped to the back afterwards.
Because of the severity of the injury, WWE has announced that his scheduled match with Roman Reigns will not take place at November 22nd’s Survivor Series in Atlanta, GA, and he is being stripped of the WWE Title. It appears from the WWE.com story that the plan is to run a tournament at the Survivor Series pay-per-view to crown a new WWE Champion.
With John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton among the major stars on hiatus for various reasons at the moment, the timing of this injury could not be worse. One WWE source noted that some phone calls are likely already being made to some very big names.
Cesaro was super over in Dublin with Miz playing his part as the heel very well telling the crowd to shut up when he raises his hand. Cesaro hit the big swing and finished with the Sharpshooter for the win. Curtis Axel then came out and for a moment played the face but then told the Irish fans when his hand goes up, everyone shows up. He says he respects the Miz and he is the WWE’s must see superstar. Axel then says he and Miz could beat anybody in the arena or in the back.
Big Show vs. The Miz & Curtis Axel
Big Show comes out and sets up a 2 on 1 handicap match against Axel/Miz. Finishes with a double chokeslam Big Show win.
Bo Dallas vs. R-Truth
R-Truth gets a great reaction in Dublin for his What’s Up gimmick. R-Truth wins. Bo then looks upset before shouting Boo You Boo You at the Irish fans before running to the back.
WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. the Dudleys
Both got a good reaction from the crowd. TND did the bit where they pretend to throw the crowd their shirts but fake it and leave it on the ring apron. Good back and forth match between the two teams with the New Day getting the roll-up for the win. Xavier attacked Bubba after the match and jumped on the turnbuckle to celebrate. Dudleys clean house and Xavier gets hit with the 3D.
Tyler Breeze vs. Dolph Ziggler
Breeze and Summer come out and Summer says “I’m so happy to be back in London, England” to a lot of boos from the Irish fans. Ziggler out with his hair long and straightened look like a glam rocker. I thought this was a great match with a few near falls and some good chemistry between the two. Ziggler eventually hits the superkick into the zig zag for the win.
Brie Bella & Alicia Fox vs. Becky Lynch & WWE Divas Champion Charlotte with Paige as special guest ref
Strange thing I found here was Becky came out with Charlotte to Charlotte’s entrance music. Thought the hometown girl would have got an entrance. Not a bad match. Paige doing a lot of heel ref work stopping Becky helping Charlotte, etc. Becky got the win with the disarmer, then they played her music for a few seconds before turning back to Charlotte’s.
Finn Balor vs. Sheamus
Best match of the night for me. Both got good reactions from the crowd. Started off slow but then near falls and some good action in and out of the ring. Balor got the win to a huge reaction from the crowd. Sheamus and Finn then shook hands after the match which the fans loved.
WWE Champion Seth Rollins vs. Kane — No DQ
Rollins out doing his usual heel work. Kendo sticks were used. Kane was put through two tables. Rollins seems to have injured himself going for the monkey flip into powerbomb through the table. Seemed to tweak his knee and the match could of been ended a bit early, but I’m not 100% on that though. Rollins got the win and when was then helped to the back by a WWE trainer.
Rollins was defending his title against Kane in the main event, and was doing a powerbomb spot out of the corner (which started as a sunset flip) when his right leg gave out and he clutched at the knee. A table had been set up in the ring and Rollins looked to be getting ready to powerbomb Kane through it.
He did get up and continue the match, including doing the power bomb through the table, but had to be helped out of the ring. The severity of the injury is unknown as of this writing. Obviously, if Rollins continues to work the tour, it wouldn’t appear to be a serious injury.
A split WWE crew is working twenty different house shows over the next eleven days. Rollins is scheduled to defend the WWE title against Roman Reigns at the Survivor Series pay-per-view on November 22nd at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA.
