10 major WWE superstars and their tipping points

Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins joins The Authority and betrays his teammates

Plan A : Reassemble Evolution and take out The Shield at Extreme Rules 2014.

When that did not quite bear fruition,

Plan B : Enter Seth Rollins.

The ire that Rollins earned from “selling out” to the Authority still resonates within the WWE Universe, so strong was its impact when it occurred. It instantly established Rollins as a heel character and generated a lot of heat towards him – a scenario that he has utilised admirably considering that he is currently the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Despite the obvious logic in the accusatory “You sold out!” chants that are customarily directed at him, perhaps Rollins does have a point when he says that he simply “bought in.”

Either way, it was Rollins’ actions that led to the break-up of The Shield and afforded each of them a run as a singles competitor. His chair attack from behind while the unsuspecting Ambrose and Reigns were engaging Triple H on the mic sent shockwaves through the WWE Universe, while at the same time ensuried that both his and the WWE’s futures were being secured.

Randy Orton

Backlash 2004: Orton and Foley battled it out in one of the bloodiest matches ever

Certain wrestling matches you walk into as a relative rookie, knowing that you will walk out a gladiator. Facing the Hardcore Legend in a no holds barred hardcore match is one of them.

The full arsenal of weapons was used in the match as Randy Orton and Cactus Jack put each other through a gruelling test of pain tolerance and endurance in their Intercontinental Title face-off at Backlash 2004.

The bad blood between the two had been brewing for months, and met its final consummation in a bloody match that left the audience cringing due to the brutality of it all. By the end of the match, any lingering doubts as to whether the young and dashing Orton belonged to the ‘big league’ had been answered in graphic detail.

In what is still regarded as one of his best matches, there was almost a universal chorus of affirmation that Randy Orton had made the step up to the big league. 11 years and 12 World Titles later, we can certainly attest to the veracity of the claim.