Seth Rollins is hungry to be the best Superstar he can possibly be for Vince McMahon, but it is up to Mr. McMahon to book that match. This presented a bit of a problem when McMahon wanted to know where “Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins went.” Rollins had a reply and it escalated into a heated discussion, to say the least.
While speaking to the Broken Skull Sessions, Rollins revealed that he was called to Vince McMahon’s office while WWE had no creative direction for him. McMahon wanted to know where Rollins’ fire went and he probably didn’t expect the response he received. In the end, Rollins convinced Vince McMahon to let him carry the ball.
“It always had a special place in my heart growing up. Whether it was Mr. Perfect, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, sometimes those IC Title reigns are more fun and more exciting and more memorable than the World Title reigns. I don’t know if it’s because [we] as performers put more pressure on it but I really just loved the IC Title. I pitched to have that run. That was my idea. When I talk about being in no man’s land, I had a conversation with Vince. He brought me into his office one time, it’s the middle of the summer, after the Hunter match, and I’m in the middle of doing nothing, in no man’s land, and he goes, ‘What happened to Seth Rollins? What happened to Seth Freakin Rollins? Where is that guy? I need that fire.’ I know what he’s trying to do. I have all the respect in the world for my boss and for Vince as a person, we have a good relationship, but you’re not going to talk to me like that without me firing back. I fired back at him. We got into a heated discussion, an argument, and I’m like, ‘Look man, just give me the ball and I’ll take it to the house, but you have to give me the opportunity. You put me in a bullshit situation where I’m having to fill in these spots and I’m not getting the focus I deserve.”
“Give me the opportunity and you’ll see the guy you want to see. It’s not me. Trust me. I put forth the effort every night. I make every town, I bust my ass for you, don’t give me that shit.’ He respects that. He respects when you do that and stand up for yourself. I was like, ‘We’re nowhere with this babyface character. Give me a run as the IC Champion, let’s work to get to Finn, Miz, and Seth at WrestleMania, give me the title and let me run with it as a babyface. The work rate will get me over, I promise you. It will take the pressure off me, do what you want with the World Title, just let me go out there and have a good time. I promise you, you’re gonna get these people to see who the real guy is.’ That’s what happened.”
Vince McMahon is known to use his own brand of motivation at times and it seemed to light a fire under Rollins. This resulted in an IC Title run that he is very proud of as well. It just goes to show that sometimes you have to literally fight for what you want, especially if that fight is against Vince McMahon’s booking.
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Thanks to Fightful for the quote