Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins. Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch. They are as different as they are alike. On the surface, their differences are quite glaring. Certainly, the public’s perception of them and attitudes towards them is quite different. With that said, there are a number of similarities between the two as we head towards WrestleMania. Most obviously, they were the winners of their respective Royal Rumbles this past January. That accomplishment says a great deal about their drive and determination and their will to win. However, each has a cloud hanging over their head, either by choice or by circumstance.
Over the past few weeks, fans have seen Becky Lynch face a great deal of adversity leading into a challenge against Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women’s championship. First, her failure to seek medical attention led to attacks on Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, which was the first obstacle in her uphill battle since winning the Rumble. After that, as fans are aware, Lynch was faced with the option of either apologizing for her actions or having her Wrestlemania opportunity taken away from her. Despite being a bit skeptical, Lynch apologized to both Triple H and Stephanie, and her opportunity was intact, albeit momentarily. That is because Vince McMahon came out and suspended Lynch for 60 days despite her apology, thus taking away her opportunity. Once again Lynch‘s dreams of going to WrestleMania appear to have been taken away, despite complying with management. She has not taken this decision lightly, as she took her frustration out on both Charlotte Flair and Rousey, beating them repeatedly with her crutches, seemingly saying ‘If I can’t go to WrestleMania, no one will.’ With a little over 40 days to go, what will end up being the story of Becky Lynch and the Raw women’s championship?
Seth Rollins’ journey to capture the WWE Universal championship has not been without its share of challenges as well. After winning the men’s 2019 Royal Rumble, he was faced with the decision of whom to challenge for their respective title. It seemed that Rollins was quick to decide without even batting an eye, as he chose to direct all his energy towards the ‘Beast Incarnate,’ Brock Lesnar. The decision was almost immediately met with criticism because physically there a clear difference between the two. In their previous matches it Lesnar has used his size and strength to dominate Rollins. Whether it has been in a triple threat match including John Cena, or when they faced each other one-on-one, Lesnar has seemed to have Rollins’ number. As time has passed, some things may have changed, but a number remain the same. In this head-to-head match up, Rollins faces an uphill battle against Lesnar. Perhaps Paul Heyman will play a role in the match, perhaps it isn’t in Rollins temperament to do anything necessary to win the match, but his chances appear rather slim.
Beyond Rollins’ perceived uphill climb, there is an actual injury that he is having to deal with. As most have noticed, he has been absent from Raw the past couple of weeks, and this week, though on the program, was not in active competition. He is currently dealing with nagging injuries that, while not serious or anything long-term, have altered story development. When we consider that Lesnar isn’t on camera weekly, his opponent’s absence certainly makes the drive to Wrestlemania and drawing interest in their match a bit more of a challenge.
So comparing the situations of Lynch and Rollins, with one battling authority while the other is fighting actual injuries, and both facing the uphill climb to capturing a championship, it’s clear to see they aren’t all that different. They have also had run-ins with each other on social media streams. Both claim to be ‘The Man,’ and no doubt the adversity they are each facing shows they can lay claim to that title. ‘The Man‘ isn’t meant to segregate women from men, but rather reflect self-assurance and self-confidence, and both have shown that.
Fans were been behind the choices of Rollins and Lynch as winners of their respective Royal Rumble matches, so it is only fitting that they continue to be bound together one way or another. While at the time of this writing, Lynch is not booked to compete for the title due to her suspension, we anticipate that will change. In the event that it changes and Lynch does contend for the Raw Women’s championship, how will the fans react? It will most certainly be with approval, as Lynch has been the hottest talent on either brand in quite some time. A concern may be that for all of Rollins efforts in 2018 leading into 2019 that if he and Lesnar main event it may be panned by those in attendance. It shouldn’t be, but just because it shouldn’t be doesn’t mean it won’t be.
We are assured of a few things when we see these matches take place at Wrestlemania. One is that a complete and total effort will be given by both Rollins and Lynch in their respective matches. They don’t decide the result or the placement of either match up, so any fault found with the placement shouldn’t be something to come down on the talent for. Both Rollins and Lynch will be forced to fight through injury, potential booking criticism and other forms of adversity to become champions. The narrative in both of their stories have had several twists and turns, but the result remains the most exciting part. Fans shouldn’t be concerned about missteps in the journey between these competitors until they see the result. With that said, is even the result something to be all that concerned about? Both represent the present and future of their respective divisions moving into the balance of 2019.
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