WWE kicked off Monday Night Raw this week with a major announcement from General Manager Adam Pearce — and it’s one that will shake up the world title picture. Pearce confirmed the rumors that had been circulating all day: Seth Rollins is no longer the World Heavyweight Champion.
Rollins’ title reign came to an end following the injury he suffered at Crown Jewel in his match against Cody Rhodes, compounded by last week’s brutal attack from Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. WWE is keeping the real-life details close to the vest, but the storyline explanation is that “The Vision” took things too far, leaving Rollins unable to compete.
Pearce addressed the crowd from the ring to open the show, but the scene quickly escalated when a black SUV pulled up outside the arena. Out stepped Paul Heyman, Bronson Reed, and Bron Breakker — the latter carrying the World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder as if it already belonged to him. The trio made their way to the ring as Pearce laid out the situation face-to-face.
Pearce explained that Rollins underwent major surgery and would be sidelined for the foreseeable future. With the champion out, Pearce had no choice but to officially strip him of the title. After some tense back-and-forth, Breakker reluctantly handed the belt to Heyman, who passed it over to Pearce.
But Pearce wasn’t done making news. He announced that CM Punk — who earned a title shot after defeating LA Knight and Jey Uso last week — would still get his championship opportunity. To determine Punk’s opponent, Raw would feature an “old school” over-the-top-rope battle royal later that night. The winner would move on to face Punk at Saturday Night’s Main Event, where the new World Heavyweight Champion will finally be crowned.
With Rollins sidelined, Breakker and Reed making power plays, and Punk waiting in the wings, the World Heavyweight Title scene just got a whole lot more unpredictable.
Monday’ WWE Raw airs live globally on Netflix from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT.
Raw General Manager Adam Pearce will provide an update on the status of Seth Rollins, after Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed turned on him, laying him out at the end of last week’s show in Perth, Australia
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed to speak on last week’s attack on Seth Rollins
WWE World Tag Team Championship: The Judgment Day (JD McDonagh & Finn Balor) (c) vs. AJ Styles & Dragon Lee
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Maxxine Dupri
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev
It’s been a rollercoaster of a week for Seth Rollins, and not the kind fans were hoping for. The newly crowned WWE World Heavyweight Champion might be facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines following a serious shoulder injury reportedly suffered during his Crown Jewel victory over Cody Rhodes.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Rollins’ injury is legitimate — not a storyline twist — and the current plan calls for him to undergo surgery soon. The news throws WWE’s world title scene into chaos, especially if “The Visionary” is forced to miss time extending into WrestleMania season.
“It looks like he’s going to need surgery on the shoulder,” Meltzer said. “The story I got was that he was going to have surgery as soon as possible. As for the title situation, I haven’t heard anything concrete yet.”
The injury is believed to have occurred during a coast-to-coast headbutt spot in the match against Rhodes — a brutal moment that saw Rollins clutching his shoulder almost immediately. WWE then followed up with a shocking post-match betrayal from his Vision stablemates, which fans initially suspected was a storyline excuse to write Rollins off TV. However, this time it appears the injury is unfortunately all too real.
With Rollins likely out for a significant stretch, questions now swirl about the future of the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE’s plans for upcoming events like Saturday Night’s Main Event. Meltzer noted that an official update on the title picture could come as soon as WWE’s next show.
This marks yet another tough break for Rollins, who’s battled through injuries before while maintaining one of the most consistent runs in modern WWE history. If surgery does sideline him through WrestleMania season, it will be a huge blow not only to his fans but to WWE’s creative direction heading into 2026.
The shocking betrayal of Seth Rollins on Monday Night Raw wasn’t part of the long-term plan—at least, not yet. According to new reports from PWInsider and Fightful Select, WWE was forced to make a “heavy creative pivot” following a legitimate injury to the World Heavyweight Champion atCrown Jewel.
Just days after standing tall alongside Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Paul Heyman at the Perth premium live event, Rollins was blindsided by his own allies on Raw. The sudden fracture of The Vision—the faction that had seemed rock-solid heading into Crown Jewel—was reportedly written on the fly to explain Rollins’ upcoming absence from TV.
Sources tell PWInsider that Rollins was spotted with his arm in a sling after his win over Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in Perth. The injury apparently occurred when Rollins went for a high-risk coast-to-coast headbutt. Despite getting hurt mid-match, he powered through to finish the bout and retain his title.
Fightful Select added that the original plan had been for Breakker’s eventual split from Rollins to unfold sometime next year, but the injury forced WWE to move that storyline up. With Rollins now sidelined, Breakker and Reed are reportedly being positioned for a bigger spotlight much sooner than expected.
At this point, there’s no confirmed timetable for Rollins’ return. He’s said to be undergoing medical testing later this week to assess the severity of the shoulder injury.
The timing couldn’t be worse for The Vision’s Architect. Rollins had been locked in a heated rivalry with CM Punk, whom he defeated for the World Heavyweight Championship after a dramatic Money in the Bank cash-in at SummerSlam. In a twist of irony, that title win had been built around fake rumors of a Rollins injury—now, real life seems to have imitated storyline.
WWE fans will now have to wait to see how the company adjusts both the Vision storyline and the Punk feud while their champion recovers.
WWE fans got a dose of nostalgia on this week’s Monday Night RAW when Bayley made her return — and she wasn’t alone. The “Hugger” persona that first made her a fan-favorite came back in full force.
The moment unfolded after Lyra Valkyria scored a big win over Roxanne Perez, only to be ambushed by Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Just when the numbers game looked too much, Bayley charged down to the ring to even the odds.
What made the save even more impactful was Bayley’s demeanor. Throughout recent vignettes, WWE has shown her at war with herself — haunted by past versions of her character and conflicted over the damage she’s done, especially to Valkyria. That inner struggle spilled out live on RAW, but ultimately, Bayley leaned into her most beloved side.
After clearing the ring, she stepped back into her old shoes — Bayley then cheerfully got out of the ring and hugged Joe Tessitore and Corey Graves on commentary before embracing ring announcer Alicia Taylor. She gave some love to a few fans at ringside, as well as referee Jessika Carr and a security guard before racing back up the ramp, giving high fives to everyone she could
Bayley’s return adds another intriguing wrinkle to the women’s division. Will this rekindled Hugger energy mark a true shift in her character, or is this just one chapter in her ongoing battle with identity? Either way, Valkyria couldn’t have asked for a better ally.
Despite her earlier jovial self, Bayley lashes out at Lyra Valkyria backstage. Bayley still appears to be at war with herself. Which one of these personas will win out in the end?