Could 2018 Be the Year of Seth Rollins?

With the first quarter of 2018 behind us, it’s Seth Rollins, not Roman Reigns, John Cena, or Brock Lesnar who is winning WWE‘s race. And at his torrid rate, Rollins may end up being king of WWE’s mountain by year’s end.

In the summer of 2015, Seth Rollins was WWE. A gnarly knee injury wiped him off the map and the 31-year has had to fight to regain his lofty trajectory.

Not only is he back on track, but Rollins—now displaying a palpable confidence as a babyface—has a new relationship with WWE’s fanbase.

And he knows it.

In an interview with Newsweek, Rollins was asked if RAW, WWE’s mothership, is still Roman Reigns’ yard.

“It’s his yard all he wants. But I feel the show is mine, they don’t call it Monday Night Rollins for nothing. I go out there every Monday and put on the best performances. For me, I’m the guy they should build the show around so [Roman] can think whatever he wants,” he said.

Back in 2015, RAW was very much built around Rollins. With a limited supporting cast, the then WWE Champion was the company’s most prominent prospect and was treated as such. It wasn’t uncommon to see Rollins in abundance during RAW’s three-hour run time. However, these high level of exposure drew the ire of some WWE fans and his supporters would soon turn into detractors.

But by watching Rollins in 2018, it’s clear he’s ready to resume WWE’s throne.

I feel like I found my footing. I think people kind of forgot about me, or what I was capable of. The week I had where I had a gauntlet match on RAW, where I put on a 65-minute performance and then Elimination Chamber, people were reminded of what I could do in the ring. Couple that with the matches with Finn Balor on RAW, and now the Triple Threat at WrestleMania 34. I really started to find my footing with the audience, where I want to be anyway. It’s been a slow road, but I feel like I’m exactly where we want to be,” he said.

His conquest will continue this April 27 at the Greatest Royal Rumble. He faces the arduous task of keeping his Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match featuring The Miz, Samoa Joe, and Finn Balor, but win or lose, Rollins remains one of the few names WWE can consider to be Universal Championship material.

While Roman may have the endorsement of Vince McMahon, it’s the WWE Universe who backs Rollins. And that may make him invincible.