Rollins explains how the injury happened, recovery timeline, and his mindset on returning
Summary
– Seth Rollins says his rotator cuff surgery has him targeting a possible WrestleMania return, pending clearance
– Rollins explains the injury happened during a Perth match and calls the rehab more brutal than his ACL recovery
– Rollins names Shawn Michaels as his all-time in-ring standard and shares mixed feelings on WWE’s Unreal series
Seth “Freakin” Rollins offered a detailed update on his shoulder recovery and made it clear a WrestleMania return is the goal, but not a guarantee. Rollins said rotator cuff repair typically carries a four-to-six-month timeline, and he is rehabbing daily with the hope of being cleared in time, while stressing the final call will be made by medical staff.
Rollins described the injury as happening during a match in Perth, Australia, against Cody Rhodes. He said a coast-to-coast diving headbutt attempt led to his elbow taking the brunt of the impact, which drove the shoulder awkwardly and caused immediate concern. Rollins finished the match on adrenaline, then had imaging the next day that raised questions about multiple possible issues before surgery confirmed the rotator cuff as the main repair.
Rollins didn’t sugarcoat the recovery, calling the process miserable and saying it felt worse than his 2015 knee reconstruction. He pointed to constant bracing for weeks, sleeping upright, poor rest, and slow, painful rehab work as the most complex parts. Rollins added that blood flow restriction training helped him regain muscle contractions sooner, while early isometric work felt mind-numbing but necessary.
When asked how he measures readiness to return, Rollins said the gym is controlled while wrestling is chaos, so stability and shoulder control are key markers. Still, they do not fully replicate ring situations. He noted the final test will come when he can safely take bumps and react to unpredictable movement without hesitation.
Rollins also shared thoughts on WWE’s behind-the-scenes series Unreal, saying he has mixed feelings. He believes the audience is smarter than ever and that pulling the curtain back can help people appreciate the athletic and creative work that goes into wrestling, even if it changes the traditional mystique.
On influences, Rollins named Shawn Michaels his personal gold standard for his ability to do everything at a high level. He said that versatility is the modern blueprint, where performers either specialize in one elite lane or become a complete package that can brawl, fly, wrestle technically, and still feel like a star.
