Seth Rollins recently opened up about the unforgettable WrestleMania 31 moment when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to steal the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Reflecting on the behind-the-scenes pressure before this iconic moment, Rollins shared that there was a sense of urgency backstage as the show was running out of time.
“I remember Michael Hayes is in the producer seat and Hunter [Triple H] and Vince [McMahon] are on the far side. I want to say there was panic about the time because we were still on pay-per-view, so we have to be off at this time,” Rollins recalled.
He explained that the strict time limit for pay-per-view broadcasts made it impossible for WWE to overrun, which would have affected the critical ending of the show. “With streaming, they’re awesome because of that, you get a little window and you’re not strict, because the advertising model is a little different,” Rollins continued. “So, it’s like, by the time we had to be off, done. So I remember sitting there and thinking, ‘Oh, shoot, they’re not going to make it, we’re going to have to do this tomorrow.'”
Despite his initial anxiety, Rollins praised the way WWE managed the situation. He noted that the production team hit all the necessary cues, ensuring the show ended smoothly and without any issues.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.