This past Monday night on WWE Raw, Jinder Mahal failed to defeat Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event. Most of the attention going into the match had been on AEW President Tony Khan’s Twitter screed about the merits of Mahal getting a title shot opportunity. Coming out of the contest, unfortunately, most were buzzing about how Rollins was limping after the bout and appeared to be injured.
Fightful reports that based on sources they have spoken with inside WWE and those close to Rollins, it sounds as if the WWE World Heavyweight Champion sustained a torn MCL and partially torn meniscus. It is unknown at this point whether Rollins will require surgery, but he is looking to avoid it if possible. It is also not known if WWE will attempt to play down the injury on TV or embellish it to create extra drama. Earlier today, it was reported that Rollins will address his injury on this Monday night’s episode of WWE Raw.
Many backstage are said to be praising Rollins’ toughness and resolve during his match against Mahal and how he carried himself afterward. Immediately after the contest, many were concerned that Rollins had sustained an ACL tear, which he did not believe to be the case. It was noted by one higher-up WWE source that Rollins had powerbombed a 300-pound man in the past on a torn ACL and would likely know what it felt like if he had suffered the same injury again. Rollins does have a history of knee problems and has routinely worked through them in the past.
As things stand, all signs point to Rollins defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against CM Punk at WWE WrestleMania 40. If his MCL tear is minor, it would only take him out for a few weeks, but if it is more severe and does require surgery, he could be out for up to three months, just shy of Mania. Rollins is not currently booked for a title defense at the Royal Rumble, so it is possible he will not compete heading into Mania in order to be healthy for the big event.