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WWE: In Defense Of Seth Rollins Kicking Out Of Two Skull Crushing Finales

By Kevin Parvizi

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At WWE Backlash 2018, Seth Rollins and The Miz had a performance for the ages, once again showing why the Intercontinental Championship is the most beloved title among members of the fanbase.

Three months ago on the episode of Monday Night Raw prior to the Elimination Chamber Pay Per View, Seth Rollins earned the moniker “Monday Night Rollins” after defeating Roman Reigns and John Cena in back-to-back bouts during a Gauntlet Match. It was a career-defining performance by the Architect, who would eventually defeat both The Miz and Finn Balor in a Triple Threat match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 34.

Rollins’s first title defense on Pay Per View occurred last night at Backlash, and he and The Miz started the show. The two were tremendous, and few matches on the main roster have featured more creative spots or were as well-wrestled as theirs. Every move mattered, every facial expression struck the right emotions, and the timing of every spot was immaculate.

But as always, some fans decided to try and nitpick certain story-telling elements, and nothing was scrutinized more than the fact that Rollins kicked out of two Skull Crushing Finales. As someone who does agree with the sentiment that finisher kick-outs and near-falls can be overused in wrestling, I actually felt that the kick-outs were warranted in this case.

Prior to the match, most people fully expected Rollins to defeat The Miz. Jeff Hardy’s United States Championship is already on SmackDown Live, so it would be almost inconceivable for both mid-card titles to move to one show, specifically the show that only lasts two hours.

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However, both Skull Crushing Finales had the fans guessing for a split second. Could The Miz actually pull off the shocking victory and cut Rollins’s title reign short? Could the Intercontinental Champion make its way to SmackDown Live? Could The Miz win his 9th IC Title in Newark, New Jersey on a Pay Per View that was more of a “D” Pay Per View than a “B” Pay Per View?

That second Skull Crushing Finale kick-out by Rollins heightened the drama even more, because we are used to seeing top babyfaces kick out of one Skull Crushing Finale.

Of course, a babyface kicking out of a finisher serves to underscore that babyface’s resiliency, which was especially important for Rollins here. You see, the Intercontinental Championship means everything to The Miz. It represents his biggest successes in WWE as a performer, and he is indeed the man who made the title feel prestigious over the last few years.

Rollins is the next man to take the torch and make the mid-card title feel just as big as the main title on Monday Night Raw. So if the title means everything to The Miz, it has to somehow mean that much more to Rollins. “The Man” defended the title at the Greatest Royal Rumble in a show-stealing ladder match, dazzled in a match with Finn Balor days later in the main event of Monday Night Raw, and turned in this gutsy performance at Backlash against The Miz.

There’s no doubt that Rollins is here to continue the groundwork laid by The Miz to make the Intercontinental Championship feel like a huge deal, as exemplified by these top-tier title defenses. What better way to highlight how much Rollins desires to remain the IC Champion and keep this title by defending it each night than having him dig for something extra to kick out of The Miz’s best moves? Twice?

Next: WWE Backlash 2018 Highlights, Grades, and Analysis

It makes sense to me, and it shows that being the IC Champion means everything to Rollins. Beyond that, it puts him over even more as a competitor, showing that it will take a special effort to defeat The Kingslayer for the IC Title. So when he does eventually drop the championship, the heel that claims it will have a massive win to put on their resume.

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