Seth Rollins has confirmed he will be sidelined for approximately six months following shoulder surgery, an injury sustained during his World Heavyweight Championship match against Cody Rhodes at WWE Crown Jewel on October 11 in Perth, Australia. The injury occurred when Rollins executed a coast-to-coast diving headbutt.
During an appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Rollins addressed his recovery timeline with characteristic personality: “I’m out of action for six months. My World Championship is going to be worn by some schmuck, either Jey Uso or CM Punk.”
The injury forced Rollins to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship, with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce officially stripping him of the title on the October 20 episode of Raw. WWE accelerated storyline plans, having The Vision members Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed turn on Rollins during the October 13 Raw, effectively writing him off television.
CM Punk and Jey Uso will now compete for the vacant championship at Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1. Rollins’ six-month absence means he will miss Survivor Series, the 2026 Royal Rumble, and potentially WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas on April 18-19, 2026. However, if his recovery progresses as expected, a late March or early April return could allow him to make WWE’s biggest show of the year.