Seth Rollins, a prominent WWE star, recently spoke on the Club Shay Shay podcast about his early experiences with former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, including the origins of his trademark finishing move and the surprising ban it faced. Rollins recounted his debut in 2012 during Survivor Series when he and his Shield teammates were outfitted with unusual riot gear, sparking an unforgettable first meeting with McMahon in Indianapolis.
He explained that during rehearsals, the group carried plexiglass shields and clubs to simulate a riot police appearance, which drew Vince McMahon’s attention.
“When we first got called up in the debut, it’s Survivor Series. It’s 2012, and we’re in these stupid turtlenecks and these cargo pants. And we are called the Shield and they literally tried to give us riot gear. Like, shield riot gear, like these giant plexiglass shields that said ‘Shield’ on them. And these clubs, like these batons you know that riot police beat people with. And we got rid of the the plexiglass pretty quickly. But we’re rehearsing during the day and we have these clubs. And I remember we’re running through the crowd, because we’re ambushing the show. We’re not coming and making an entrance, we’re running through the crowd. So we’re out in the back. It’s Indianapolis, Indiana. And we’re in the back and Vince is by the ring, and he’s running the rehearsals at the time. He sees us with these clubs, because the camera’s there and he’s watching the monitor. And he’s like — you could just hear his deep voice echo through the empty arena. He’s like, ‘What? You need clubs to beat him up? Are you really that tough, hmm? We’re all just like [motions tossing to the side], dump the club. ‘All right, let’s go.’ So that was my first introduction to to Vince’s Vince-ism.”
” – Seth Rollins, WWE Superstar
The Unexpected Ban of The Stomp After WrestleMania
The conversation turned to the unexpected moment when Vince McMahon banned Rollins’ finishing move, The Stomp. This decision came immediately after Rollins won his first world title at WrestleMania held at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco. Following a hectic day involving TV appearances and travel, Rollins was summoned to McMahon’s office in San Jose, where the chairman conveyed his decision to discontinue the move without much explanation.
“Yeah, he banned it. I win the — literally the day after I won my first world title at WrestleMania. We’re here in San Francisco, it was at Levi Stadium. I win it, I win the title. Get on a jet, fly to New York. I do the Today Show. Get back on the jet, fly back over here to San Jose for Raw. This is all in the same day. And I get back to San Jose at the Shark Tank and he like — you know, then ‘Vince wants to see you.’ So I go in the office, he’s like [Vince grunt], sitting there. And he does this thing [leaned over, hands folded on knees]. He’s like, ‘So, um, you know, the stomp, I think, um — I think we’re going to, we’re going to move in a different direction. We’re going to find — we’re find something else, you know, equally as good and uh equally as — you know, devastating. But uh, I think we’re going to go in a different direction.’ Yeah, he banned it.”
” – Seth Rollins, WWE Superstar
Speculation on the Reasons Behind the Move’s Prohibition
Rollins offered insight into why he believes The Stomp was banned, though he admitted he never received an official explanation. He suggested that after being seen performing the move during the Today Show segment, the move’s association with the “curb stomp” nickname raised concerns among Vince’s advisors. Despite its long-standing use in wrestling, The Stomp was deemed too risky or controversial, leading to its removal.
“I don’t know what — I’ve been doing it for years. This is what I think happened, and I don’t have confirmation. He watched the Today Show piece. He sees the stomp. He sees people referring it to the curb stomp. Somebody in his inner circle said, ‘Hmm Vince, I don’t know about that move. I think it might be a little too dangerous, there might be might be a connotation to it. I don’t know.’ And I’m like, ‘Brother, we’ve been doing it for years. It’s pro wrestling. None of it is — you can call it something else if you want. I didn’t come up with the name, you came up with the name. Call it the Stomp, call it whatever.’ So yeah, he like took it away with no explanation at the time. Just, ‘We’re not going to do it.’ I’m like, ‘Okay.’ And then left me with no finish. His World Champion with no finishing move for — it took me like a couple months before I decided to just steal Triple H’s Pedigree.”
” – Seth Rollins, WWE Superstar
Impact on Rollins’ Career and Next Steps
The removal of The Stomp left Seth Rollins, then World Champion, without a finishing move, forcing him to adapt quickly. After some months, he temporarily adopted Triple H’s Pedigree as his new finisher, demonstrating his resilience and versatility as a performer. This episode highlights the internal dynamics of WWE creative decisions under Vince McMahon and their profound effect on a performer’s in-ring identity and strategy.
The ban of The Stomp underscores the complexities wrestlers face balancing performance style with corporate considerations. As Rollins continues to evolve, fans can expect further developments regarding his finishing moves and in-ring persona, shaped by both creative vision and regulatory limits within WWE.
