WWE Backlash 2018: Seth Rollins Has Yet Another Defining Performance

When Seth Rollins and Finn Balor had an excellent TV match in the main event of Monday Night Raw, I wasn’t sure if Rollins could follow that up with an even better match at WWE Backlash 2018 against The Miz. Boy was I wrong.

At WrestleMania 34, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and The Miz kicked off the show, and Rollins won the Intercontinental Championship in a fast-paced match that arguably stole the show. One month later at WWE Backlash 2018, Rollins and The Miz kicked off the main show again, this time in a singles match for the Intercontinental Championship.

Rollins retained, and he did so in incredible fashion. This match had absolutely everything you could ever ask for, and the number of breath-taking spots in this match was almost impossible to count. From Rollins catching Miz in mid-air to the two selling lower-body injuries after dueling Figure-Four spots, this match was equal parts high drama and creative. There’s no way to undersell how well these two performed, because they left it all on the line.

What stood out to me the most was the fact that Rollins kicked out of two Skull Crushing Finales despite selling a knee injury. Rollins’s knee has been the focus of WWE storylines since he legitimately injured it last year before WrestleMania 33. After his knee smashed against the ring post, he was subjected to a Figure Four Leg-Lock and sold the knee throughout. It made the kick-outs of The Miz’s finisher all the more impactful, and it really put over Rollins as a resilient champion.

Right now, there might not be a hotter wrestler on the planet than Rollins, and Vince McMahon essentially acknowledged how hot Rollins has been before the match. Michael Cole stated that Rollins is the hottest act in WWE today while Seth made his entrance, having received a thunderous “Burn it down!” from the crowd prior to Cole’s comments.

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Rollins’s work in the ring is more than befitting that of an Intercontinental Champion, and it’s gotten to the point where fans wonder if he could have a shot at being the WWE’s top babyface in the future. It seemed like this was the case after Rollins’s brilliant performance in the Gauntlet Match on the Raw before the Elimination Chamber Pay Per View, as he eliminated both Roman Reigns and John Cena back-to-back in unforgettable fashion.

I’m not sure if the WWE will ever waver from Roman Reigns as their top guy, simply because he gets such great reactions, as evidenced by his weekly dominance in YouTube videos and, ahem, blog coverage and web traffic. Braun Strowman’s reception from the crowd and imposing figure make him a potential challenger to Reigns, too.

But for my money, nobody delivers more night in and night out on the main roster than Rollins, and that includes the likes of AJ Styles. Rollins has the crowd unequivocally behind him, because he’s earned their respect over the years. From being The Shield’s Architect to crumbling the faction and becoming The Authority’s big star, Rollins has done it all.

As a babyface now, Rollins has slayed The King of Kings, eliminated Cena and Reigns in the same night, won the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania, and put on classic match after classic match.

Tonight’s match against The Miz was yet another defining performance for Rollins, because it showed that he can steal the show as the Intercontinental Champion on any given Pay Per View. Heck, “Monday Night Rollins” showed this on the Raw before Backlash, too, as he and Finn Balor put together an instant classic on television, assembling their best-told story out of all of their matches together. (I’d also be remiss if I didn’t praise Miz heavily for his work tonight, too.)

The Miz and Rollins were crisp, creative, and had the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout. Seth Rollins has always liked to call himself “The Man”, and at Backlash, he showed why this moniker is fitting.

Next: WWE Backlash 2018 Highlights, Grades, and Analysis

Rollins will be the main star of Raw for years to come, especially now that he’s defending the IC Title every night, working tirelessly to put on a different, compelling match for the fans. It isn’t easy to do this, but Rollins is one of the few wrestlers capable of achieving that. At the same time, he’s been able to remain an interesting, bad-ass babyface who can both act and speak with conviction in his promos.

There’s no doubt that 2018 is Rollins’s year, and it will be interesting to see if anyone else on the main roster can approach what he’s been doing in terms of their quality of work.