Taking Away Seth Rollins’ Curb Stomp Was the Wrong Move
Removing the curb stomp from Seth Rollins’ arsenal takes something away from his character.
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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? This phrase can be attributed to WWE removing, not banning, Seth Rollins’ curb stomp finisher.
The curb stomp became a trademark of the Rollins character. The move was a simple but edgy move that was perfect for a heel. Rollins would run from the corner, rise up in the air and smash his foot on the back of the head/neck/upper back (depending on how its sold). There was never any reported injury from this move, either. So, why take it away?
PWInsider reported late last night that the move was not taken away from Rollins. However, the DDT-facebuster was given to him because “it was a finisher that could be used on anyone, anywhere, similar to say, an RKO.” While yes, the DDT variation may be somewhat easier to use since all it requires is a kick to the gut and planting the opponent on the ground, it is not unique.
With it being very hard to create a new wrestling finisher (since almost everything has been done), we see Superstars take on moves that have been done before. While it’s not a bad thing, there is a lack of creativity.
Take a look at the most popular Superstars of all-time―Steve Austin had the Stone Cold Stunner, The Rock had The People’s Elbow, Hulk Hogan had the Leg Drop, Shawn Michaels had Sweet Chin Music and John Cena has the AA. Once these moves connect, the fans rise to their feet with a roaring applause. The finishers were all unique in how they were either built up (Rock’s People’s Elbow, HBK’s Sweet Chin Music) or how they were performed (Austin’s Stunner, Cena’s AA), which appealed to the audience.
So, why take away something from the WWE World Heavyweight Champion that made him stand out? The curb stomp had an “oomph” to it. Fans knew it was a devastating move and that the match would be over when he hit it. While the DDT-facebuster was the first time the fans saw it on the recent Monday Night Raw, there was little to no reaction.
There’s always the chance of fans getting used to this move, but after seeing it once and re-watching it over and over, there’s nothing to it. The move has similarities to Dean Ambrose’s Dirty Deeds, which looks cleaner than Rollins’ variation.
By removing the curb stomp from The Architect’s arsenal, it also takes away an edge to his character. While the Seth Rollins character is still an old-school, slimy heel, not having a devastating finisher will take something out of his matches. What-if he main events another WrestleMania? Are fans going to be jumping out of their seats when they see him hit this DDT to end a match? Probably not. Instead, a reaction similar to the one on Monday Night Raw (with more people in attendance) seems likely.
We have to remember that the curb stomp could always come back since it’s not banned. However, given WWE’s history of questionable moves, seeing this finisher stay absent wouldn’t shock anyone.
Seth Rollins is still the future and arguably the present. Will the removal of his finisher hurt that at all? Let us know below.
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