I got the brace off last week: Seth Rollins injury update & WWE return timeline

The former World Champion picked up a shoulder injury at Crown Jewel.

Seth Rollins has given fans a clearer picture of his recovery from shoulder surgery, confirming that things are “on track” as WWE is set to enter the crucial Road to WrestleMania 42.

The Visionary has been absent since September, when he was injured during his Crown Jewel match against Cody Rhodes.

The setback forced him to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship and step away from television just as WWE’s fall storylines kicked into high gear.

His exit was written into WWE programming through a violent betrayal by Vision stablemates Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, who attacked him on RAW.

Since that moment, Rollins has not returned, missing Survivor Series: WarGames, a match billed as The Vision versus Team CM Punk, and one that helped foreshadow potential WrestleMania 42 main events.

Seth Rollins says he’s progressing well

Early reports suggested Roman Reigns vs Rollins was the original plan for WrestleMania before the injury forced WWE to pivot back toward a third chapter of the Reigns–Rhodes rivalry.

With Rollins sidelined, the world title picture shifted dramatically, but his recovery timeline still opens the door for a return that could reshape the Mania card. Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Rollins offered a positive update.

“We’re on track. I got the brace off like last week, middle of last week. It’s nice to walk around like a regular person. I know there’s a lot of skepticism in your question, but you can consult my surgeon. I’m feeling alright… but we’re on track.”

The injury was especially damaging because Rollins was not only champion but also the leader of WWE’s newest high-profile faction.

His absence forced creative changes and temporarily halted a major storyline. Still, a pre-Mania return, his prognosis was roughly six months, could spark several compelling directions, including a revenge arc against Breakker.

Potential babyface return for Seth Rollins

Given the intensity of the on-screen attack that wrote him off TV, WWE now has little choice but to present Rollins as a babyface when he returns.

Crowd reactions during his feud with CM Punk showed fan sentiment swinging unpredictably, but without Rollins, The Vision is drawing heat more consistently. It might help set the stage for a dramatic confrontation when he reappears.

Whether Rollins lands a match on the WrestleMania 42 card may come down to timing. A surprise return could even see him influence the rumored Punk vs Breakker bout, perhaps costing Breakker and reversing the narrative.

But if he competes in Las Vegas, he’ll likely be central to the World Heavyweight Championship plans, especially with WWE featuring Punk vs Breakker on RAW’s Netflix anniversary special on January 5th.

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