WWE made significant changes to the opening of the October 20 episode of WWE Raw in Sacramento, California, where Seth Rollins was officially stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship. According to a new report, the segment that aired was not what the company had originally planned.
The episode opened with General Manager Adam Pearce in the ring, ready to make a major announcement regarding the World Heavyweight Champion. However, before Pearce could speak, Bron Breakker appeared backstage holding the World Heavyweight Title, flanked by Bronson Reed and Paul Heyman, and the trio made their way to the ring. Pearce ultimately confirmed that Rollins was injured and required surgery, forcing him to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship.
According to TC of WrestleVotes Radio, there were “significant last-minute changes” to the segment. A backstage source noted: “A source backstage at #WWERaw in Sacramento tells me there were a lot of late changes to the opening segment where Adam Pearce stripped Seth Rollins of the World Heavyweight Championship. Original plans had things playing out differently than what we ultimately saw on screen”.
A source backstage at #WWERaw in Sacramento tells me there were a lot of late changes to the opening segment where Adam Pearce stripped Seth Rollins of the World Heavyweight Championship.
Original plans had things playing out differently than what we ultimately saw on screen.
— TC | WrestleVotes (@TCwrestlevotes) October 21, 2025
While the content of the original plan remains unclear, the aired segment showed Pearce reclaiming the title from Breakker, who had been openly flaunting the championship since he and Reed betrayed Rollins a week earlier. Heyman then delivered a promo, attempting to keep his new clients, Breakker and Reed, strong as the new direction began to unfold.
The unexpected shift in creative is part of a larger pivot for WWE following Rollins’ legitimate shoulder injury. Rollins is expected to be out for an extended period, potentially through WrestleMania 42. WWE will crown a new World Champion on November 1st at Saturday Night’s Main Event when Jey Uso vs. CM Punk takes place.
