World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is reportedly set to undergo shoulder surgery, which could sideline him for an extended period — potentially keeping him out of action through WrestleMania 42.
According to the October 16, 2025 edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that Rollins’ injury is significant enough to require surgery and that WWE is already adjusting plans for upcoming events.
“Well, it looks like he’s going to need surgery on the shoulder, and that’s pretty much it,” Meltzer stated. “The story that I got was that he was going to have surgery as soon as possible… he’s going to be out for a long time, probably past Mania.”
The severity of the injury and the recovery timeline are still being evaluated, but the expectation is that Rollins will miss several months of television time. WWE has already pulled him from the upcoming Supershow tour in Japan, where he was scheduled to face CM Punk.
Rollins’ absence leaves major question marks surrounding the World Heavyweight Championship and the previously announced Rollins vs. CM Punk title match scheduled for Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1.
Meltzer noted that WWE has not yet finalized how to proceed with the championship picture. “As far as what they’re going to do about the world title, what they’re going to do about Saturday Night’s Main Event… they’ve got to get that going,” Meltzer said, suggesting that an official announcement could come as early as Friday’s SmackDown or the next episode of RAW.
Meltzer speculated on several creative options WWE could take to fill the championship void, including a tournament or a multi-person match to determine a new champion. “They could put Bron Breakker in. They could make it a multiple-person match, even if they just did a tournament and end on November 1,” Meltzer explained. “Or maybe Punk gets the winner of a tournament. Since Punk earned his title shot, there’s a million ways to do it.”
He also added that Rollins’ absence could lead WWE to elevate a new top star on RAW, with Bron Breakker being a strong candidate for a leading role moving forward.
