Seth Rollins is headed for shoulder surgery, and it could keep the World Heavyweight Champion out of action well into 2026. According to the October 16 edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Rollins’ recovery is expected to last beyond WrestleMania 42, leaving major questions about the title picture on RAW.

Dave Meltzer confirmed the news, saying, “Well, it looks like he’s going to need surgery on the shoulder, and that’s pretty much it. The story that I got was that he was going to have surgery as soon as possible… he’s going to be out for a long time, probably past Mania.”

The exact recovery timeline will depend on the nature and severity of the injury. WWE has already pulled Rollins from the upcoming Supershow tour in Japan, where he was scheduled to face CM Punk.

With Rollins sidelined, the future of the World Heavyweight Championship is uncertain. WWE has yet to decide how to handle the situation or the originally planned Rollins vs. Punk title match at the November 1 Saturday Night’s Main Event. Meltzer noted, “As far as what they’re going to do about the world title, what they’re going to do about Saturday Night’s Main Event… they got to get the Saturday Night’s Main Event thing going.” An announcement could come as soon as SmackDown or RAW next week.

As for creative plans, Meltzer floated a few options: “They could put Bron Breakker in. They could make it a multiple-person match, they could do a tournament, you know, and end on November 1. Or maybe Punk gets the winner of a tournament. Since Punk earned his title shot, there’s a million ways to do it.”

Comment – Join WNS (It’s Free!) 

Ready to join the discussion? Sign up in 30 seconds to comment on wrestling news, connect with fans, and track your activity on the WNS leaderboard. Click the link to sign up today – Become a Member (Don’t forget to verify your email!).