WWE
Seth Rollins has built a career defined by intensity and high-impact offense, with the “Curb Stomp” serving as his most recognizable weapon. However, longtime fans remember a peculiar period following WrestleMania 31 where the move suddenly vanished from his arsenal. In a recent conversation with Complex News, Rollins finally pulled back the curtain on that confusing time, revealing that the directive came personally from Vince McMahon immediately after the biggest win of Rollins’ career.
“I Was Given No Heads Up”
Rollins explained that the decision blindsided him. fresh off the heels of the “Heist of the Century,” where he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to pin Roman Reigns and capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, he was told his finishing maneuver was no longer acceptable.
“Ah, it sucked. I was given no heads up and it was right after I won the World Title for the first time, with that move that I’d been using for years as a finish… and then all of a sudden, ‘I mean, so I don’t think we’re gonna use that anymore.’”
The Logic Behind The Ban
According to Rollins, he believes someone “got in Vince’s ear” regarding the safety and optics of the move. The reasoning provided to him was that the Stomp was too easily replicable by children, a logic Rollins found flawed given the inherent danger of all professional wrestling moves.
“‘It’s too dangerous. I know you’re not dangerous. Very safe… Kids can do it too easily at home.’ It’s wrestling. If any kid imitates any wrestling move, they’re gonna hurt – your armbar… They just snap a shoulder off… A Rock Bottom, any of it. It’s silly.”
The timing made the pill even harder to swallow. The very next day after WrestleMania, while doing press in New York, McMahon delivered the news in person before Rollins flew back to Santa Clara for Raw.
“Fly back to Santa Clara to do Raw and I go and Vince is like, ‘Come in. I gotta talk to you about something.’ He’s like, ‘Ah, we’re not gonna do that anymore.’”
A Waiting Game for “The Visionary”
While the Curb Stomp eventually returned to his repertoire, Rollins currently faces a much longer wait to return to the ring. The former champion has been out of action since October 2025, following shoulder surgery necessitated by an injury sustained at Crown Jewel. In his absence, the faction he created, “The Vision,” has completely imploded, with Bron Breakker and Paul Heyman ruthlessly ousting him from the group. With the Royal Rumble approaching on January 31, speculation is rampant that Rollins could make a shock return to seek vengeance on his former proteges, though he recently admitted he still doesn’t know exactly when he will be medically cleared.
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