Extreme Rules 2015 Seth Rollins v Randy Orton

Seth Rollins’ first defense of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship will come at Extreme Rules against the very Superstar who pinned the self-proclaimed “Future of WWE” at WrestleMania, Randy Orton.

Orton, a 12-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, was named Rollins’ challenger on the April 6 Raw, after defeating Roman Reigns and Ryback in a No. 1 Contender's Triple Threat Match. Now, he looks ahead to his opportunity against the WWE World Heavyweight Champion at Extreme Rules.

The WWE Universe is still raving about Orton and Rollins’ last encounter at WrestleMania, where The Viper ignited The Show of Shows by inconceivably countering Rollins’ Curb Stomp into a high-elevation, highlight-reel-worthy RKO. Whereas Rollins and Orton’s deeply personal and longstanding grudge was the foundation for that bout, their rematch at Extreme Rules will be not only emotionally charged, but also for the grandest prize in sports-entertainment.

Since then, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion has appeared less-than-eager to again cross paths with The Viper, but he will have no choice on Sunday, April 26, when Extreme Rules airs live on WWE Network.

Can The Authority’s boundlessly athletic poster boy — a CrossFit-conditioned machine who is arguably the most dynamic in-ring competitor to wear the WWE World Heavyweight Title — silence the doubters and cement his first championship reign with a pivotal victory over the more seasoned Orton, a third-generation Superstar who was pegged as a Legend-in-the-making his rookie year? Or will The Viper, who craves the opportunity to tap into his extreme and most sinister instincts, remind Rollins why he is the master of the RKO “outta nowhere,” and return to championship glory at Rollins’ expense?