5 Takeaways from the November 26th episode of WWE Backstage
After two weeks full of CM Punk and talk of his return to the wrestling world, the focus of this week's WWE Backstage shifted to the weekend that was in the WWE. WarGames and Survivor Series both provided fans with huge moments regarding matches, character development and glimpses of the future.
Triple H was the special guest this week and he reflected on the incredible month his brand has had. From invading RAW and SmackDown to delivering once again with WarGames, NXT proved that it wasn't the little brother any more and is instead a legitimate third brand.
A new segment also aired with therapist Rachel Bonetta, someone who I've never seen or heard of before, "analyzing" NXT Champion Adam Cole. It was brief and funny and might be something that we see more of on future episodes.
Having stars and their characters actually interact with a therapist/psychologist could make for some hilarious moments just as Cole did. Bonetta didn't think the name "Adam Cole" was very threatening.
But unsurprisingly, most of the episode was centered around both WarGames and Survivor Series. A lot happened over the last week in WWE with each episode of RAW, SmackDown and NXT ending in brawls featuring all three brands.
With that said, here are five takeaways from the November 26th episode of WWE Backstage.
#5 Seth Rollins is going down a different path
It wasn't his fault, but ever since he was paired with The Fiend in matches over the Universal Championship, things started to turn between Rollins and the fans. He was previously one of the most beloved stars on the roster and the crowd couldn't help but chant "Burn It Down" every time he came to the ring.
The Fiend, however, was just so unique that it transcended the crowd's feelings about Rollins. So when the two squared off, the Beastslayer wasn't receiving the previous support he had been getting from the WWE Universe. It might have irked him and caused him to think they weren't enjoying his work. The audience was fine with his work but they were just ready for the Fiend to ascend.
Because of his handling of that situation and the return of CM Punk, fans really started to turn on Rollins during the build to Survivor Series. After RAW failed to make an impact at the annual November PPV, the former Universal Champ held a town hall segment to open the show.
While some of what he said was true, like a lot of the roster falling short in their matches, it was his delivery of the lines that turned people off of his comments. It didn't help that he blamed everyone around the ring for not having the same passion that he does. You can't blame AOP for Survivor Series because they weren't even booked.
The problem with Rollins recently was that he has the passion and the message he wants to get across in the ring but things often come out a different way than he intended. The panel took Rollins different attitude to task, with Samoa Joe saying that they'd "hopefully be getting more genuine performances from Rollins". After being the good guy fighting for the brand for over two years, it might be time for a character tweak.
Christian added that he wanted the Kingslayer to "be who you are" and not who he thought the company wanted him to be. The potential pairing with AOP was addressed but not confirmed, but Captain Charisma added that "it would get better from here for him (Rollins)" and that the partnership with Rollins would be huge for AOP.
Everyone on the panel gave high praise for the work of Kevin Owens, with Christian stating that Owens is "fearless when he speaks and that is what connects him with the audience."