Seth Rollins has been a WWE main eventer for quite some time, but his run at the top has been hampered by several major injuries during his illustrious career. Such issues have meant that Rollins has missed out on major PPV events, including WrestleMania and Royal Rumble shows in the past.
We’ll be looking at Rollins’ injury history here, including his most recent issue in August 2024 where he needed to be written off of television.
Major Injuries in Seth Rollins’ Career
Seth Rollins has suffered multiple injuries throughout his wrestling career, but a few stand out due to their severity and impact on his time in WWE.
Torn ACL, MCL, and Medial Meniscus (2015)
One of the most severe injuries in Rollins’ career occurred in November 2015 during a match against Kane at a WWE live event in Dublin, Ireland.
Rollins attempted a sunset flip powerbomb, but the landing caused his knee to buckle, resulting in a torn ACL, MCL, and medial meniscus.
This injury was devastating, as it required surgery and forced Rollins to vacate the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
The injury kept him out of action for approximately six to nine months, sidelining him from the main event of WrestleMania 32, where he was expected to play a major role.
Re-Injury and Subsequent Surgery (2016)
Shortly after his return in 2016, Rollins reinjured his knee during a match with Samoa Joe. While the injury was not as severe as the previous one, it still required him to take some time off and undergo minor surgery.
This re-injury raised concerns about the longevity of his career, given the intense physical demands of professional wrestling.
However, Rollins worked diligently to recover and made a triumphant return to WWE television, solidifying his status as one of the company’s top stars.
Lower Back Issues (2018)
In 2018, Rollins began experiencing lower back problems, which were likely exacerbated by years of intense physical activity and high-risk maneuvers.
Although this issue did not lead to a prolonged absence, it did cause Rollins to modify his in-ring style to some extent, focusing more on mat-based wrestling and less on high-flying.
This adjustment helped him maintain his status as a top performer while reducing the risk of further injury.
MCL Injury in January 2024
In January 2024, Seth Rollins suffered a significant MCL injury during a match on WWE RAW.
The incident occurred when Rollins took a bad landing, leading to a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament (MCL).
Despite the severity of the injury, Rollins chose to continue performing, albeit with a reduced in-ring schedule.
The decision to manage the injury conservatively allowed him to avoid surgery, but it did impact his performance throughout the early part of the year.
Latest Injury in August 2024
In August 2024, Seth Rollins sustained another serious injury during an on-screen attack by Bronson Reed on WWE RAW.
This storyline injury, however, masked a real and underlying issue Rollins had been dealing with—persistent lower back pain.
WWE used the angle to write Rollins off television, giving him time to recover from his ongoing back issues.
This injury has raised concerns about his long-term health and his future in the ring, though details on his recovery timeline remain unclear as of writing.
