Seth Rollins x 12 years of WWE: Top 4 moments in The Visionary’s career

Seth Rollins has been on an odyssey since debuting in WWE 12 years ago. His first major accomplishment in the company happened on June 27, 2012, when he took part in the Gold Rush Tournament and became the first-ever NXT Champion, beating Jinder Mahal in the final.

Fast forward to today, and he has emerged as one of the greatest superstars of all time, having snagged nearly every accolade there is in WWE. With that in mind, let's take a look at his top four moments.

#4. Seth Rollins' main roster debut

Seth Rollins will get a World Heavyweight Championship match against Damian Priest at Money in the Bank (Photo credit: WWE.com)

Six months after becoming the inaugural NXT Champion, Seth Rollins made his debut on the main roster on November 18, 2012.

Rollins and fellow NXT stars Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns formed The Shield and stunned the WWE Universe with an appearance in the Survivor Series main event match between then-WWE Champion CM Punk, Ryback, and John Cena. The faction made its presence felt after delivering a beatdown to Ryback.

Few at the time considered the possibility that these three men would one day rule the wrestling industry, but that's exactly what ended up happening, with Rollins, Ambrose, and Reigns all becoming multi-time world champions and industry-defining performers.

#3. Winning both the WWE and United States Championship

Seth Rollins thrived as a heel back in 2015 when he became the WWE Champion and the face of The Authority. Amid an impressive run, he had one of the toughest challenges in his career when he took on the legendary John Cena at Summerslam in 2015. Both the United States and WWE Championships were on the line, and the winner would take it all.

The Visionary was the better man in the bout and walked out of Summerslam as the WWE and US Champion. Double champions are a rare sight in the Stamford-based promotion, and Rollins made the most of it.

#2. The Shield betrayal

The implosion of The Shield was one of the most shocking moments in WWE history, and it ended the stint of one of the most dominant factions in the history of the company.

Back in the summer of 2014, The Shield had a major feud with Evolution, which had reunited under Triple H. After a victory at Payback, The Hounds of Justice confronted their rivals again, but Seth Rollins stunned Reigns and Ambrose, hitting both with a steel chair. This heel turn was a changing moment for the Architect's career.

It also altered the trajectories of Reigns and Ambrose, who would go on to forge their own paths. The moment partially shaped the current generation of pro wrestling and was even called back to in the main event of WrestleMania XL this year, when Reigns finally got his revenge by hitting Rollins with a chair.

#1. Cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 31

The "Heist of the Century" took place at WrestleMania 31 in 2015 when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to become the new WWE Champion.

The main event of The Show of Shows saw Brock Lesnar put his title on the line against Roman Reigns. After an intense bout, Seth Rollins stormed into the ring and hit his finishing move on both Lesnar and Reigns, pinning the latter to claim the WWE Championship.

It was a career-altering moment for the Visionary, who has revealed that it was his idea to cash in at WrestleMania 31.