Why Seth Rollins cashed in AFTER CM Punk won the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE SummerSlam

There were a whole lot of reasons why CM Punk HAD TO win the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam, regardless of whether Seth Rollins was going to pull the swerve of the century at SummerSlam, as had been part of wrestling discourse over the past few weeks.

But, there are a lot of reasons why Punk had to be the one Rollins cashed in on, too, unlike his attempt at Night of Champions, where he tried to cash in mid-match or when The Architect had pulled off the Heist of the Century at WrestleMania 31.

Basically, things had to happen the way they happened in the main event of SummerSlam and its aftermath. And that applies to both aspects: from a storytelling perspective as well as from the perspective of the in-universe Seth Rollins within kayfabe.

Why what happened happened from a storytelling perspective

Unlike most main events we have seen recently, Gunther vs. CM Punk was a complete match in and of itself: competitive, brutal, and without any signs of referee bumps or shenanigans. But it was so much more. It was a throwback, with classic sensibilities, with old-school underdog babyface/dominant heel psychology at heart, and it was a main event worthy of SummerSlam, with a satisfying finish to an emotional rollercoaster without needing anything to follow up on. And that's what made the cash-in all the more special.

Unlike WrestleMania 41, the shenanigans didn't happen in the middle of the match. As perfect as Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk was, SummerSlam ended in quite a similar way, but it built more slowly, and it wasn't clear if Rollins would show up at the end of the night.

At WrestleMania, everyone knew SOMETHING would happen, though we weren't quite sure what. From a psychological perspective, fans were taken on a hell of an emotional ride with the way business was conducted, and that's what wrestling is all about.

Why Seth Rollins, the character, did what he did at SummerSlam

CM Punk will never win a world title while Seth Rollins remains alive. That is what The Visionary had promised. Instead, he architected something far more sinister, but also something far simpler, with the help of his Oracle, Paul Heyman. In signature Rollins' fashion of always being a few steps ahead, he screwed Punk out of the title he had just won, rather than before it. Why?

Firstly, it would obviously be more emotionally devastating. Secondly, it would be a far easier physical target, with Punk absolutely battered after an encounter with The Ring General. Thirdly, after the match was over, Gunther, or let's say the loser (since Rollins, despite calling himself a visionary and Heyman his Oracle, can't REALLY see into the future within kayfabe), would be out of the equation before Rollins cashes in.

But considering how petty he is, at this point, it won't be hard to believe that Rollins would have waited for Punk to win the title for months before he ruined The Best in the World's moment.

As for why Seth Rollins took himself out of the equation in WWE for a few weeks, the answer to that is simple: he made too many enemies too quickly and was at the center of various conflicts. Why stay in harm's way when you can pick your spot if you have all the power in the world, as Mr. Money in the Bank?

With Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed as his insurance policy, The Architect may now have a larger target on his back, but will his enemies be united if the World Heavyweight Championship hangs in the balance, too?

Monday Night Rollins is back

Since WrestleMania 41, Seth Rollins has been positioned as the face of Monday Night RAW. Following what many feared was a legitimate injury, fans may have thought that it had put a monkey-wrench in WWE's future creative direction and plans, but after tonight, it turns out that this was the plan all along.

References to "Plan B" had been made on RAW just days before Rollins' injury, and the incredible way he pulled the strings to become the new World Heavyweight Championship mere weeks after being targetted by CM Punk, LA Knight, and more (although, to be fair, he was the one who poked all those bears) is a testament to why Seth Rollins is called The Visionary, and why Paul Heyman is known as not just The Wiseman, but The Oracle.

Edited by Harish Raj S