Roman Reigns sat smugly on Raw last Monday, entertaining the possibility of losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Seth Rollins at SummerSlam.
“What if you do beat me at SummerSlam?” Reigns asked. “You’re gonna carry it for a couple of months and get hurt again?”
As fans in the arena gasped, Rollins lowered his eyes before Reigns delivered another dagger.
“Don’t act shocked,” Reigns continued, “that’s what happens every single time.”
While “every single time” is an exaggeration, injuries have haunted three of Rollins’ six world title reigns in WWE, including his first as WWE Champion. After his iconic Money in the Bank cash-in at WrestleMania 31, Rollins tore his ACL, MCL, and meniscus, forcing him to relinquish the title after just eight months at the top.
Though he would win another WWE Championship and two Universal titles, Rollins wasn’t given a lengthy run until 2023, when WWE turned to him to add prestige to its newest prize, the World Heavyweight Championship. During his reign, he admitted to Logan Paul that while his knee was an issue, he was more banged up than most realized.
“My neck [is] acting up,” Rollins said, adding, “my low back has been at me for like, since 2019, probably should get some surgery on that, but trying to just, you know, do whatever I can to make sure I don’t need it because I have a couple of stress fractures back there.”
Six months later, he spent the final days of his 313-day reign rehabbing a knee injury as he raced back to be ready for WrestleMania XL in 2024.
Despite the wear and tear, WWE built its top storyline on Raw around Rollins in 2025. He aligned with Paul Heyman to form The Vision alongside Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. The faction was reminiscent of Evolution, with a veteran leading the next generation.
But their momentum didn’t last.
Just 78 days into his second World Heavyweight Championship reign, Rollins injured his shoulder attempting a corner-to-corner dive against Cody Rhodes. The injury ended his reign and stalled The Vision, which was later hit by injuries to Reed, Breakker, and Logan Paul.
While Reigns’ comments were meant to sell their match, they do raise a valid concern. When healthy, Rollins has proven he can deliver. But for a 40-year-old star who still wrestles a high-risk style that has defined his career, staying healthy enough to carry the load may be more than he can shoulder.
SummerSlam At a Glance
Whether Rollins can prove Reigns wrong is just one of several attractions that make up this year’s two-night SummerSlam.
While WWE has yet to announce the official lineup for each night, advertising on its website suggests that Hell in a Cell is slated for Night 1, while the World Heavyweight Championship will be defended on Night 2.
Here’s what has been announced so far:
- World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
- Women’s World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky
- Undisputed WWE Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
- Hell in a Cell: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar
- Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder Match: Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. TBD vs. TBD vs. TBD
- Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable
- Six-Man Tag: Jacob Fatu & The Usos vs. LA Knight, Solo Sikoa, & Royce Keys
How to Watch
SummerSlam takes place at Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium. The event streams live on Saturday, Aug. 1, and Sunday, Aug. 2, at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT on the ESPN App in the United States with an ESPN Unlimited plan, and on Netflix internationally. It will also be shown live at select theaters nationwide, with tickets available through Fandango.
