It looks like WWE is about to lose one of its biggest stars for an extended stretch.
World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is reportedly set to undergo shoulder surgery, a procedure that could keep him out of action well into 2026.
Worse yet, it could sideline him through WWE’s annual two-night premium live event on “The Grandest Stage of Them All’, WrestleMania 42.
According to the latest installment of Wrestling Observer Radio at F4WOnline.com, Dave Meltzer confirmed that Rollins’ shoulder injury is serious enough to require surgery, with WWE already adjusting creative plans around his absence.
“Well, it looks like he’s going to need surgery on the shoulder, and that’s pretty much it,” Meltzer stated. “The story that I got was that he was going to have surgery as soon as possible… he’s going to be out for a long time, probably past Mania.”
While the full extent of the damage and the recovery timeline are still being evaluated, the belief is that Rollins will miss several months of television time. WWE has already pulled him from the upcoming Supershow tour in Japan, where he had been scheduled to face CM Punk.
Rollins’ sudden absence creates major uncertainty surrounding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and the planned Rollins vs. Punk match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1.
Meltzer noted that WWE has yet to finalize how they’ll handle the title situation moving forward.
“As far as what they’re going to do about the world title, what they’re going to do about Saturday Night’s Main Event… they’ve got to get that going,” Meltzer said, adding that an official announcement could come as early as Friday’s SmackDown or the next episode of RAW.
Meltzer also speculated on several creative options WWE could explore to fill the championship void — including a tournament or multi-person match to crown a new champion.
“They could put Bron Breakker in. They could make it a multiple-person match, even if they just did a tournament and end on November 1,” Meltzer explained. “Or maybe Punk gets the winner of a tournament. Since Punk earned his title shot, there’s a million ways to do it.”
He went on to suggest that Rollins’ absence could lead WWE to elevate a new top star on RAW, with Bron Breakker potentially in line for a major push as the brand’s new centerpiece.
We will keep you posted here at WrestlingHeadlines.com as updates regarding Seth Rollins’ status continue to surface.
