Seth Rollins: Betraying The Shield ‘shifted everything’ in pro wrestling

Seth Rollins believes his 2014 heel turn helped set the stage for the success the pro wrestling industry is having today.

In June 2014, Rollins betrayed The Shield and joined forces with The Authority. Now more than 10 years removed from that angle, Rollins appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter and was asked about the moment. Rollins said he wouldn’t go back and change anything because it put him, Roman Reigns, and Jon Moxley on the paths they’re on now.

“I’ve been asked about it a lot. Obviously, I think that’s like the one thing that if you are a fan of Seth Rollins or The Shield or Jon Moxley [or] Roman Reigns, I think that’s the one thing that kind of sits with you over the course of the last 10 years, essentially. And I get asked about it all the time and I’ve thought about it. Would you go back? Would you change it? Would you do something different? And my answer is unequivocally no, I wouldn’t,” Rollins said.

“Because where we’re at now, the business as a whole is healthier than it’s ever been. And that moment in time is what shifted everything. That’s what put us all on our separate paths. Our goal in the beginning was to run the show, to run the business, to change it, to make it better. And here we are a decade later — and I dare say that it was accomplished with the swing of that steel chair.”

After their breakup, The Shield later reunited and had their final match as a trio before Moxley left WWE and joined AEW in 2019.

Rollins’ SportsCenter appearance was to promote SummerSlam, where he’ll serve as the special guest referee for CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre. The PLE is taking place from Cleveland Browns Stadium this Saturday.

Reigns has not appeared on WWE programming since dropping the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 this April. Rhodes is defending the title against Solo Sikoa at SummerSlam.

Moxley is currently taking some time off from AEW TV after losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to Tetsuya Naito at Forbidden Door this June.

SportsCenter’s full interview with Rollins is available to watch below: