A former WWE star has voiced strong criticism about the current storyline involving Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, which is leading up to a champion-versus-champion match at this year’s Crown Jewel event. This feud highlights the existing tension between the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships, raising debate about the presence of multiple world titles.
Historical Context of WWE’s World Championships
In 2022, Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, unifying the WWE and Universal Championships into a single world title. For a time, Reigns held the sole world championship belt, making him the undisputed top champion in the company. That status remained until 2023, when WWE introduced the World Heavyweight Championship, creating a separate world title division once again.
Starting in 2024, WWE began an annual tradition at the Crown Jewel event where the WWE Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion face off. This has become a key storyline on WWE television, with the current buildup focusing on the clash between Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, each holding one of these prestigious belts.
Lance Storm Criticizes Current Champion vs. Champion Setup
Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Lance Storm has expressed his displeasure with the structure of having two world champions competing against each other. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Live, Storm argued that having multiple world titles detracts from the significance of a true, singular championship.
He stated,
“I really dislike the champion vs champion. Just the fact that it draws attention to the fact that you have two world champions, and in essence don’t have one.”
Storm also pointed to the 2000 WrestleMania in Seattle, noting it was the first WrestleMania to feature two world titles rather than a clear main event, and this coincided with a downturn in WWE’s business over the next two decades. He explained that the big turnaround came when titles were unified under Roman Reigns, creating one definitive world champion pursued by all challengers.
“And since adding the second world title again, the general consensus is business has cooled somewhat, because if two men can stand in the ring and argue over who is in fact the top guy, I’m like, well that’s what a world title is supposed to determine, and we don’t really have a means to do that,”
Storm said.
He further elaborated,
“I don’t like two world titles, and I think that segment, while good, just draws attention to the fact that there isn’t really a world champion, men or women, in WWE.”
Storm added,
“I’m not saying they’re in trouble, I’m saying they were better when the main event was that babyface chasing the single world champion – Cody’s story was after that one champion. Drew chasing Roman. Sami chasing Roman. That meant more.”
Lance Storm, Former WWE Intercontinental Champion
The State of WWE Titles at Crown Jewel
At last year’s Crown Jewel event, Cody Rhodes claimed the men’s WWE Crown Jewel Championship by defeating then-World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER. On the women’s side, Liv Morgan captured the Crown Jewel Title by overcoming Nia Jax, establishing both belts as featured championships at the event.
Looking ahead to this year’s event, the women’s Crown Jewel Championship match will see Stephanie Vaquer battle Tiffany Stratton, continuing the tradition of having high-profile title matches on the Crown Jewel card.
Implications for WWE’s Championship Landscape
The debate sparked by the Seth Rollins Crown Jewel storyline underscores the ongoing challenges of managing multiple world championships within WWE. While this format allows for more champions and varied storylines, it also risks diminishing the prestige of a singular world title. Lance Storm’s perspective suggests that unification brought clarity and significance to the world championship picture, a clarity that is now under threat.
As WWE continues promoting the champion-versus-champion match at Crown Jewel, the company will need to balance these competing narratives to maintain fan interest and protect the value of its titles. How these championships and their storylines evolve in the future will likely have a significant impact on WWE’s business and viewer engagement.
