WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 was an epic event filled with several exciting matches. Two bouts on the card were held inside the dangerous WarGames structure, plus former friends clashed, and the SmackDown Women's Championship was defended.
Arguably the best match of the night was the United States Championship. Seth Rollins defended the belt against Austin Theory and Bobby Lashley in an epic bout. Austin Theory regained the title he first lost at Money in the Bank earlier this year.
Many fans were shocked to see Rollins lose as he only recently won the belt and seemingly gained momentum as a babyface on the RAW brand. So, why did Seth Rollins lose the belt at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022?
Below are 5 reasons why Seth Rollins lost the United States Championship at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022.
#5. Seth Rollins may move into a new feud following WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022
Seth Rollins losing the title so quickly caught many fans off guard. The Architect had only just won the United States Championship a handful of weeks prior to losing it at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022. With that being said, there may be a good reason for him dropping the belt.
Rollins could be moving on to a new rivalry with an unexpected star where the belt wouldn't necessarily benefit the feud. This is typically necessary if somebody in the match is a "gimmick wrestler". Bray Wyatt, Dexter Lumis, and even R-Truth could be considered gimmick wrestlers, where a title is typically unnecessary in a storyline involving these stars. WWE might have felt it was best to have him drop the United States Championship. This will allow the title to still receive the spotlight.
#4. He may be dealing with an injury
What a SUPER STOMP from @WWERollins!#SurvivorSeries#USTitle pic.twitter.com/s7TV5TSq8q
— WWE (@WWE) November 27, 2022
Professional wrestling is an extremely physical industry. While WWE has more safety precautions than any other wrestling organization, there's no way to avoid injuries. These are inevitable aspects of the business, and even the best wrestlers end up battling some kind of injury at some point in their careers.
Unfortunately, the injury bug may have potentially hit the former Universal Champion. He may have lost the United States Title to Austin Theory at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 because he needs time off to heal from an injury of some kind.
Hopefully, if this is the case, whatever potential injury ailing The Kingslayer doesn't require surgery. Randy Orton reportedly underwent back fusion surgery, and even Seth's wife missed almost four months of action recently due to an arm injury. Seth may end up needing time away next.
#3. Rollins may feud with Roman Reigns following WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022
Seth Rollins first debuted on the main roster ten years ago at Survivor Series 2012. He appeared as part of The Shield alongside Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. The three dominated WWE for quite some time.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Following the Shield's separation, Roman and Rollins feuded off and on over the past decade. One of their most recent and notable bouts was at the Royal Rumble 2022 earlier this year, where Seth lost to The Tribal Chief.
Seth Rollins certainly wants to be the world champion again. He may have lost the United States Championship at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022, so he can move up into a feud with Roman over the world title. Could Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns have a Royal Rumble rematch at the 2023 Royal Rumble?
#2. He may be entering a long-term feud with Austin Theory that includes swapping the titles back and forth
AUSTIN THEORY WINS!#AndNew #USChampion @_Theory1!!!#SurvivorSeries pic.twitter.com/Gz94Tcu2Ol
— WWE (@WWE) November 27, 2022
While Seth Rollins could potentially move on to a new feud following WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022, losing the United States Championship doesn't necessarily mean that he won't win the title again. In fact, the decision to have Seth drop the title to Theory may be part of a bigger story.
Austin Theory is being rebuilt. If WWE wants to elevate Theory as a star, who better to pair him with than somebody as immensely talented as Seth Rollins? Theory and Rollins may potentially be feuding long-term.
If A-Town's Finest and The Kingslayer do have a long-term feud, the United States title changing hands may become something fans could see often. The two talented stars may trade back and forth in major Premium Live Events and televised bouts.
#1. Seth Rollins may have dropped the title to feud with a returning Cody Rhodes
During a recent promo from Seth Rollins on Monday Night RAW, he reminded fans how he put Cody Rhodes on the shelf. Many felt this was odd, given that Seth recently turned babyface.
Rollins mentioning The American Nightmare may have been a calculated move to predict Cody's return to action. Many expect the former Intercontinental Champion to be back in action in the coming month or two, and renewing his rivalry with Rollins could be how he's reintroduced.
WWE will likely see Cody Rhodes as Roman Reigns' WrestleMania challenger. If that's the case, they'd likely prefer the United States Championship not to be involved in the Rollins-Rhodes feud leading up to the major event.