Seth Rollins On Why The World Heavyweight Title Is A "Necessity" For WWE

Seth Rollins recently shared his thoughts on the newly introduced World Heavyweight Championship in WWE. The championship was created to address the fact Roman Reigns holds both the WWE and Universal Championships and his limited schedule

Rollins became the first-ever WWE World Heavyweight Champion by defeating AJ Styles in the finals of the championship tournament at Night of Champions, solidifying his position as the top titleholder on Monday Night RAW.

During an appearance on Ryan Satin's Out of Character podcast, Rollins addressed the perception that the World Heavyweight Championship is a secondary title. He acknowledged the significance of the established WWE Universal Championship and emphasized the importance of working to make the new title feel important.

"I understand that this title isn't on the same level as Roman's title. The Universal Championship has a rich history and a lot of prestige built over the years. It means a great deal. You could see how evident it was at Money in the Bank when Roman was pinned for the first time in three and a half years. You can't just come in and pretend that this title is suddenly as important. Nobody would buy into that. The champions I've looked up to and aspired to be like were the ones who took the title to every town and defended it. Over time, people believed it was a big deal. When I entered the scene, Cena and CM Punk were the world champions. I grew up watching Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H. They took the world title to every corner. I'm doing my best to fill those shoes and make this World Heavyweight Championship as significant as possible for myself and the rest of the roster."

Rollins also mentioned that if Roman Reigns had a schedule similar to his own, there wouldn't be a need for the World Heavyweight title due to the increased number of opportunities. 

"If Roman was doing what I'm doing, there wouldn't be a need for a secondary championship. We would have someone doing those things. It would provide direction for the characters and the show. But since Roman has chosen a different path and has different plans for his schedule and title reign, someone has to fill that void. We did our best with the United States Championship for a while, but it never felt like a World Heavyweight Championship. There needs to be that spot for everyone to strive for and fight over. I'm honored to be that carrot dangling there. It's a positive thing. If Roman was doing all this and defending the title everywhere, we wouldn't have these problems. One more thing, if our roster wasn't so stacked with talented individuals, there wouldn't be a need for it. We have stars on both brands: Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, AJ Styles, the Judgment Day, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Edge, and many others who are capable of being World Heavyweight Champion, have held the title in the past, or are ready in the future. We need a title for them to pursue that is available and present."

Rollins emphasized that the title helps create additional storylines and adds layers to the Monday Night Raw roster, allowing characters to evolve and advance.

"It's difficult for characters to evolve and progress without stories, and many of our stories revolve around levels. I'm creating a top-tier level for Monday Nights. After unifying the titles, that's where we stand, and we're making the best of it. So far, it has resulted in good matches and compelling stories, and we're just getting started."

Addressing the view that his title may be seen as a "consolation prize" compared to Roman's Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, Rollins stated that he views it as a necessity, but understands why it might be viewed this way.

"If you've been following Roman's journey and how he has elevated the title he holds, it makes sense to view it as a consolation prize. But for me, it didn't feel that way. It felt like a big deal, especially considering the number of individuals who can step into the position I'm in right now. The fact that it's me makes it feel significant to me. I feel a great responsibility to represent them, the industry, and help it move forward. Sometimes it seems like with Roman's title reign, only one challenger is in the picture at a time, often every few months, and many guys are put on hold. I firmly believe that having a title available is necessary, and I approach it with humility and responsibility as the champion who will be there for our audience. I wasn't offended by the comparison, and I understand where people are coming from."

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