Seth Rollins makes huge statements on his recent WWE heel turn and the future
Seth Rollins is, many fans feel, back in more familiar territory as a heel in WWE.
The former Shield member and Universal Champion, 33, is once again in the bad books of the WWE Universe after aligning himself with Authors of Pain, and Buddy Murphy to form the newest faction on RAW.
It is ground on which Rollins is likely to feel comfortable, given he was the perfect 'bad guy' during his initial run with the Shield and, after turning on them, his collaboration with Triple H.
The Iowa native does know what the other side of the fence is like, of course, having worked as a face for a number of years at various points in his career - including his run as 'The Kingslayer' that saw him go on to defeat his former mentor, Triple H, at Wrestlemania 33 in 2017.
Quite apart from what he likes or feels comfortable with, however, Rollins has stated that working as a heel is "easier" given the nature of much of today's society.
Speaking to the San Antonio Express, he commented: “It is a different era than it was back in the day. Now, it’s easier to be an antagonist because... anybody who consumes entertainment has a voice to be heard.
“They can get online and say whatever they want, and even if one or two people respond to it, that’s one or two people more than 20 years ago when they were just sitting in their living room...
"Our audience looks for things to complain about, to dislike and to pick apart. It’s such a short, short lifespan. If you can maintain being in that hero role for a lengthy period of time, you are doing something incredible.”
Tellingly, though, Rollins did add one caveat to his work as a heel - insisting that he won't be pushed beyond his limits when it comes to creative direction and instruction.
He said the company's writing staff "are not going to send me out there and make me do something I’m not comfortable with.
"I have to believe in what I’m doing out there as a performer.”