WWE Crown Jewel 2019: 5 reasons why Seth Rollins is no longer competing twice on the same night

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins is set to defend his Universal Championship title against ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt at Crown Jewel, 2019. But two weeks ago, ‘The Architect’ was also named as the captain of Team Hogan which will face Team Flair at the pay-per-view.

Following the announcements, the WWE Universe started speculating the reason behind the WWE Creative's decision to have Rollins compete in two matches on the same night. Some assumed that it would help in establishing The Beastslayer as the top babyface workhorse of the company. Whereas others hoped that there will be an interference by The Fiend during the 5-on-5 match.

However, WWE put all those speculations to rest after confirming that Rollins will only lock horns with The Fiend. Additionally, his former Shield brother, Roman Reigns will lead Team Hogan.

Here, we have discussed five reasons why Seth Rollins is no longer competing in two matches at Crown Jewel.

#5 Undivided attention on Seth Rollins' rivalry with The Fiend

The Fiend is not someone who can be conquered that easily

At present, The Fiend is undoubtedly one of the biggest attractions in the pro-wrestling world. Ever since his arrival, he has taken the WWE Universe by storm and his hasty push to the title picture speaks volumes about his influence on the business.

Before being drafted to SmackDown, The Fiend was feuding with Seth Rollins. They had a credible build-up to their encounter at Hell in a Cell. However, the supposed ‘conclusion’ of their feud left the fans with a sour taste when their brutal Hell in a Cell match ended in a no-contest after the referee stopped the match.

Their match at Crown Jewel might be an attempt to draw their rivalry to a respectful conclusion. Booking Rollins for just one match will allow The Architect to focus entirely on one opponent. This will also help him deliver all that he has while battling against his biggest nightmare. Moreover, Rollins couldn't afford to be injured if he was a part of both those matches.

This move also portrays The Fiend as a strong Superstar who cannot be reduced to someone’s second priority, even if he doesn’t have the title on him.

#4 Lack of intimidating feuds

WWE Crown Jewel 2019 will witness Braun Strowman going up against boxing legend Tyson Fury. Brock Lesnar is also set to defend his WWE Championship against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez.

There are few more matches booked for the PPV but the one thing that remains common in all these fights is the lack of credible build-up. These bookings look great on paper but they don’t have the fans invested enough to feel passionate about the match.

The feud between Rollins and The Fiend, on the other hand, has managed to keep the fans on the edge of their seats ever since it started. Despite a few disappointing segments, this rivalry has the entire WWE Universe talking and aggressively picking sides.

With the limited time that WWE have for building up a feud that will draw attention at the upcoming PPV, it was a safe move to bet on this booking. Fans are already unhappy with the finish to the Hell in a Cell match between Rollins and The Fiend. Hence, it allows room for more creative results that will hopefully be much better than their previous match.

#3 Involving top Superstars in the pay-per-view

Roman Reigns replaced Seth Rollins on Team Hogan

Removing Rollins as the captain of Team Hogan has allowed WWE to bring Roman Reigns into the picture. The Big Dog is one of the biggest WWE Superstars who always attracts more viewers.

Unfortunately for Reigns, he was not involved in any storyline that could lead up to a match at Crown Jewel. Therefore, bringing him as a substitute for Rollins allowed WWE to include him in the match-card without scripting a new feud.

Reigns is not the only one who reaped the benefits of this decision. If Rollins was still the captain of his team, there would have been one less spot. But now, both Ali and Shorty G have been named in the team which allows them to bring their respective feuds and skills in the limelight at one of the most glorified WWE shows.

Currently, this is how both teams look on paper:

Team Flair – Randy Orton (C), Drew McIntyre, ‘King’ Baron Corbin, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley.

Team Hogan – Roman Reigns (C), Ricochet, Rusev, Ali and Shorty G.

#2 Top babyface at Survivor Series

Shortly after Crown Jewel 2019, we will see RAW and SmackDown go into war at Survivor Series. The champions will lock horns to fight for the honor of their respective brands. Hence, this is the perfect opportunity for WWE to establish The Architect as the top babyface of the company even though they should avoid doing that.

If Rollins and Brock Lesnar retain their titles at Crown Jewel, they will meet at Survivor Series. The two share a lot of history and a potential match between them will always generate interest among the fans.

Only a few people were okay with the way Lesnar ended Kofi Kingston’s dream run as the WWE Champion. His win fetched him a lot of heat from the fans and his sporadic appearances only add fuel to the fire.

If both these Superstars go toe-to-toe, it is Rollins who will end up getting maximum support. He was booed during his HIAC match against The Fiend and WWE cannot afford their champion to lose support.

#1 Possible spoiler and much-awaited heel turn

The Beastslayer has been brutalized by The Fiend on countless occasions

Probably the best reason to have Seth Rollins focus on one match is to book a jaw-dropping end to his encounter. And nothing can be better than having the Universal Champion turn into a heel in an attempt to overcome The Fiend.

WWE commentators have often pointed out the change in Rollins’ demeanor ever since he started feuding with The Fiend. It is important to note that they are also scheduled to fight in a Steel Cage match on RAW right after the PPV. As per the reports, the two Superstars will continue their feud throughout November.

Allowing Rollins to feature in just one match will give him enough space to execute the narration without risking its effect on other segments. Otherwise, it would have been weird to have a bad guy lead a team that features babyfaces.

Last time when Rollins was in two matches (Clash of Champions, 2019), he lost one but won the other and kept his Universal Championship safely. But now that he is in just one match, it is not difficult to predict that he will win against all odds and retain his title.

Hence, a heel turn would make for a fantastic booking despite the result. Let's be honest, Rollins' current in-ring gimmick is on the verge of becoming stale and we all know that he is better as a heel.

But will WWE make it happen?

Edited by Raunak J