Seth Rollins Is Super Hyped for His Roman Reigns SummerSlam Showdown

Fourteen years of history land in Minneapolis on Sunday night, and Seth Rollins knows exactly how rare that is getting.

"We're both getting kind of closer to the end than the beginning," Rollins told Rich ahead of his main event against Roman Reigns. "I don't know how many more opportunities we're going to get to do this dance, one-on-one with a title on the line at a big pay-per-view or premium live event as we call them now."

Then the qualifier that will keep people arguing all week.

"Whether this is the final chapter or not, I don't know, but it's certainly the next chapter."

The two came in together as part of the Shield, one of the most dominant factions in WWE history, and separated in 2014. Rollins allowed that he might have had something to do with that.

SummerSlam is two nights this year, streaming Saturday and Sunday at 6:00 Eastern on the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited plan, and Rollins framed it as WrestleMania in the middle of August. Brock Lesnar and Oba in Hell in a Cell. Cody and Punk. Liv and Io for the women's championship. A five-woman ladder match to crown an interim WWE women's champion. Then Sunday's main event.

TJ asked him the good question: what is Seth Rollins the fan looking forward to?

Two answers, and neither was the obvious one.

The first is Nick Aldis against Gunther. Aldis is the SmackDown general manager making his WWE in-ring debut, and Rollins was emphatic that people should go look him up.

"If you want to pop on the old internet machine and Google Nick Aldis, you'll find a lot about his professional wrestling career before he was just the SmackDown GM," he said. "It's always interesting for me to see how people react in a huge spotlight like this. This is a big-time match against a big-time player."

The second is Chad Gable against Penta for the Intercontinental Championship, and Rollins made the case with real affection. The Grande Americano run, the injury, the return, the Mask vs. Mask match down in AAA in Mexico, and now a redemption arc that lands in Gable's hometown of Minneapolis.

"When you're in your hometown or your home state, there's an extra little chip on your shoulder that you really want to show out for your hometown fans," Rollins said.

The rest of the segment was the show turning on TJ, who refused to pick a side. His defense was his own fandom history: Sixers and Clippers, Penn State, Nats. When the Sixers play the Clippers, he claps for every basket and every good defensive play and boos every call he doesn't like.

Rich was not accepting it. He declared himself out as a Seth Rollins guy, told Rollins he has his back 100 percent, and reminded TJ that the title is not coming back to the show through Roman Reigns.

TJ did eventually tip his hand, sort of. He can call and text one of them and get an answer. The other guy has never really beaten him in a big match. Storyline purposes, he said, Monday might bring a new world champion.

Somebody at the desk had already voted with their wardrobe. Cage was in the Rollins shirt on Monday night, complete with the Rollins chain, and their section was the only one cheering. A woman sitting nearby watched them boo Roman and asked, "Really?"

Rollins is looking forward to precisely that noise.

"There's a contingent on both sides. I'm really looking forward to the dueling, singing the songs, and the OTCs, and I'm curious to see which one pushes the other one out, or if they just amplify each other," he said. "The audience is like an actor in our play."

The best story of the segment came from TJ, who ran into Roman backstage. Roman looked at him and said, "What's up with your coworker, man?"

Not Rich. Not Brockman. Seth. TJ's first thought was that Roman watches the show. His second was that Roman had at least been complimentary about Rollins as a host, kayfabe aside.

"Rivalries make stories and stories sell tickets," Rollins said, "and this has been a story that's sold tickets for many, many years."