WWE superstar Seth Rollins has made bold claims about his role in CM Punk's return to the wrestling world, while opening up about their ongoing personal and professional conflict. The Visionary, currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, suggested his media tactics played a crucial part in bringing his rival back to the company.
The Real Conflict Behind the Scenes
In an exclusive interview, Rollins revealed the depth of animosity between himself and the current World Heavyweight Champion. "I think if I didn't have a proclivity for disarming him, so to speak, in the media before he came back, he wouldn't even be here," Rollins stated bluntly. "So he can give me more credit than he'd like – but at the end of the day, yeah, I mean, we don't like each other."
The wrestler, who once publicly labelled Punk a "cancer," admitted their real-life history has naturally translated to on-screen tension. "I don't know that we're ever going to see eye to eye," he added, emphasising the permanence of their discord.
WWE 2K26: Punk Takes Centre Stage
This year's WWE video game release sees CM Punk featured prominently as the cover star and focal point of the Showcase mode. The game will allow players to experience some of Punk's most memorable matches and participate in Fantasy Warfare dream bouts. Notably, the Showcase will include "What If?" scenarios exploring how WWE programming might have differed had Punk never left the company in 2014.
Rollins acknowledged that despite their personal differences, their professional rivalry serves the business well. "At the end of the day, that conflict is what creates controversy, and that's what creates cash," he explained. "And you know, that's the reason CM Punk is back here."
From Gaming Fan to Gaming Character
The wrestler reflected on his journey from creating digital avatars of himself to becoming a fully realised character in the WWE gaming franchise. "I've played wrestling video games for pretty much as long as I could hold the controller," Rollins smiled. "Now that I am a full entity in these video games and kids get the chance to pretend to be me on a screen, it's pretty awesome. Never really loses its lustre."
He even shared anecdotes about neighbourhood children challenging him to video game matches, admitting he doesn't go easy on them. "They're old enough, they get it, they're eight and 10," he smirked. "They need to know what it's like to lose."
Personal Life and Recovery Update
Rollins discussed his distinctive fashion evolution, acknowledging the initial negative reaction to his flamboyant outfits. "The suits, in the very beginning, and the outfits, they did get a negative reaction, and they were doing exactly what I wanted them to do," he revealed. "And then eventually it became sort of a positive thing, and people started to look forward to what I was going to wear."
Regarding his family life with wrestling megastar wife Becky Lynch, Rollins doesn't anticipate their five-year-old daughter Roux following in their footsteps. "She just doesn't care about it at all. She's a performer, but I don't think wrestling is her medium," he said, while emphasising their unconditional support for her future choices.
On his injury recovery, Rollins provided an optimistic update: "Body's healing up good, shoulder – it just is as it is. You can't do it any faster. Hopefully, it doesn't happen any slower. I feel like I'm on a good road, and I'll be back when I'm ready."
WWE 2K26 is scheduled for release on March 13, with special editions including The King of Kings, Attitude Era and Monday Night Wars versions available for early access from March 6.
