Seth Rollins granted extra recovery time after minor injury as Jake Roberts criticises Roman Reigns ahead of Money in the Bank 2026
Seth Rollins has been given extra time to recuperate from a slight injury by the Stamford-based WWE, a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report said less than 24 hours before Money in the Bank 2026. Hall of Famer Jake “The Snake” Roberts also publicly criticised Roman Reigns’ recent work in an interview released ahead of the pay-per-view.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Rollins is carrying a minor injury and that WWE has allowed him additional time off before bringing him back to television. Rollins’ last televised match was on August 2, 2026, when he challenged Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship and lost. The report adds that he has not wrestled on a televised WWE show since that defeat.
Despite his absence from TV, Rollins has continued to appear at non-televised events. He was active on WWE’s live event tour in South America in September and worked multiple non-TV bouts there. His most recent in-person appearance came on the October 9 episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown in a post-show match pairing him with LA Knight and Solo Sikoa against The 946 – Royce Keys, Bronco Nima and Lucien Price; that match was not aired on television.
WON said the company appears to be looking for the right moment to reintroduce Rollins on television to maximise the impact of his return. Details about the specific nature of the injury and any target return date remain unknown. The report reiterated that Rollins is participating in multiple wrestling matches away from TV while he recuperates.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts addressed Roman Reigns during an interview published on the Inside The Ropes YouTube channel, questioning the champion’s recent output. “I just don’t like Roman with what he does out there. I think that he has better stuff in him yet, but I think that maybe he got a little fat, got a little lazy. You know, sometimes when you’re given so much, you quit producing. And I feel like then either that or he just needed better writers,” Roberts said. Roberts also said he would struggle to work under the modern system because he prefers developing and delivering his own interviews rather than relying on written material.
Latest Money in the Bank odds referenced in the report suggest Roman Reigns is favoured to retain against LA Knight, a line that the report said makes Roberts’ criticism a surprise for many observers. The broader coverage repeated that the Stamford-based company has given Rollins extra time to recover while he continues to wrestle at live events.
Roman Reigns is scheduled to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against LA Knight at the Money in the Bank 2026 pay-per-view on October 10; Rollins’ exact return-to-television date remains unspecified.