Not everyone thinks Seth Rollins deserves the criticism he’s been getting over the viral airport footage from Mexico. After the clip exploded online, Ryback stepped in with a very different take.
The video showed Rollins and Becky Lynch getting surrounded by fans while trying to make their way through the airport after WWE’s trip to Mexico. Vince Russo was one of the loudest critics, arguing Rollins appeared to leave Becky behind instead of getting her out of the crowd with him.
Ryback doesn’t think it’s that simple. After seeing the backlash online, the Big Guy took to Twitter and said people are judging Rollins based on a few seconds of video without having any idea what actually happened before or after the clip. He also made it clear he knows Rollins well enough to question the narrative that’s been spreading.
“I’ve known Seth Rollins for a long time and worked with him extensively during my time in WWE. He was always a stand-up guy and a genuinely good human being.”
Ryback said social media has a habit of taking a short clip, stripping away all the context and turning it into something much bigger than it really is. In his opinion, that’s exactly what’s happened with Rollins.
“Watching people attack his character over a few seconds of airport footage is exactly what’s wrong with social media today. None of us watching a short clip know what Seth and Becky communicated beforehand or everything that happened before or after it.”
He went on to say that outrage spreads a lot faster than context these days. That’s why he believes people should be more careful before deciding they’ve got someone figured out from one viral video.
“We live in an era where rage-bait accounts and sensationalized clickbait can take a few seconds of someone’s life, remove the context, create a negative narrative and suddenly everyone thinks they know the truth.”
Ryback also believes wrestlers should be more willing to stand up for each other when they know someone’s character. He said you don’t have to be best friends with somebody to speak up when you think they’re being judged unfairly.
“I’d also like to see more wrestlers stick together in situations like this. We don’t have to agree on everything or even be close friends, but when you know someone’s character and see people unfairly dragging their name through the mud, there’s nothing wrong with having a backbone and speaking up.”
That was ultimately the reason Ryback decided to jump into the conversation. He said he wasn’t trying to start an argument—he simply wasn’t comfortable watching someone he knows get dragged without saying anything.
“Loyalty still matters. The truth still matters. And sometimes supporting someone simply means refusing to let a manufactured negative narrative go unchallenged. I know the man I worked with, and I’ll gladly speak up for him here.”
The airport footage has clearly split opinions. Some people watched it and saw Seth Rollins leaving Becky Lynch behind, while others, like Ryback, think it’s impossible to judge someone’s character from a few seconds of video. Unless Rollins or Lynch decide to tell their side, the debate probably isn’t ending anytime soon.
Whose take do you agree with—Vince Russo’s or Ryback’s? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
