WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque aka Triple H. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Triple H provides statement on Seth Rollins' SummerSlam appearance

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Aug 3, 2025 4:57 PM ET

Night one of SummerSlam 2026 ended with a bang. Seth Rollins came back from what now appears to have been a fake injury, cashing in his Money In The Bank briefcase against CM Punk.

The WWE fanbase had long postulated the idea of Rollins returning at SummerSlam. His return felt like low-hanging fruit. Yet, despite the expectations, both Punk and Rollins played the situation perfectly. Now, as we head into night two of SummerSlam, there is a new World Heavyweight Champion in town.

When speaking at the SummerSlam post-show, Paul "Triple H" Levesque admitted, albeit in kayfabe, that he wasn't pleased with Rollins falsifying injury reports to get the upper hand on Punk.

"Seth Rollins is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers," Levesque said. "And he comes out, goes through none of it and takes the World Heavyweight Championship. My hats off to Seth Rollins. That’s a smart way to do business. Not thrilled about bogus medical reports, but we’ll deal with that down the line."

Not everyone will be happy with Rollins becoming the new champion. They will feel like Punk was robbed. Or that WWE creative took the easiest route possible. And in truth, they're probably right.

However, sometimes the best way to progress a story is to go with the most obvious segue. The fact is, everyone came away from the SummerSlam main event with some form of emotion. The story being told worked; it made people feel. And now, the storyline moves on to how Punk and Rollins — two heated rivals — will move forward. A future title match is all but guaranteed, yet it's the story, week after week, month after month, that will captivate people.

WWE used SummerSlam as a jumping-off point, and now, we could see the very best of CM Punk, likely culminating in a main-event title match at WrestleMania 42.

So, yes, Rollins' win was a deflating moment for many, but what comes from that moment will keep wrestling fans talking for the next six to 12 months, and that was likely the whole point.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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