Backlash: Seth Rollins Retains Intercontinental Championship Against The Miz

The Intercontinental Championship is staying on Monday Night Raw.

Seth Rollins successfully defended his championship against The Miz on Sunday night at the Backlash pay-per-view.

Midway through the match Rollins attempted to hit the Revolution knee on Miz from the apron, but Miz dodged the attack and sent Rollins’ knee into the ring post.

From there Miz worked over Rollins’ knee with a Figure Four leglock. On two occasions it looked like Rollins was about to rally only for his knee to give out and allow Miz to hit a Skull Crushing finale for a pair of close two counts.

Finally Miz tried to put him away with his finisher from the second rope, but Rollins managed to dump him off. After a sequence of roll-up pin attempts, Rollins hit the Curb Stomp for the win.

Miz entered the night looking to put himself in the record books, as he’s just one Intercontinental Championship reign away from tying Chris Jericho’s record for most reigns of all time at nine. He’s also just 21 days short of passing Pedro Morales’ record of 619 total days as champion.

Rollins first won the championship by pinning Miz in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 34. He successfully retained in a four-way ladder match at the Greatest Royal Rumble weeks later then defended it in the main event of Monday Night Raw this week against Finn Balor.

As a Grand Slam Champion, Rollins is considered by many fans as one of the best in-ring wrestlers in the WWE. Some of his peers feel the same way, with WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry going so far as to say he’s “Beyond Elite” on a recent episode of Busted Open Radio.

“Seth Rollins. Right now, to me, is one of the most exciting guys in wrestling,” Henry said. “He’s getting to that ‘great’ stratosphere, you know, beyond ‘elite.’ He’s becoming – dare I say – Hall of Fame caliber-like. He’s going to be one of the best before it’s all said and done with.”

There’s no word yet on who Rollins will face next, but he’ll likely defend his championship at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view in Chicago, Illinois on June 17.