A few months ago, Seth Rollins versus Kevin Owens was one of the hottest feuds going in WWE. Unfortunately, injuries have majorly hindered the rivalry and it's virtually an afterthought right now headed into WrestleMania. As a result, some fans believe this feud should be put out of its misery after WrestleMania 36, but WWE shouldn't be so quick to let this feud die just yet.
Of course, this feud took a huge hit with the losses of AOP, Samoa Joe and Buddy Murphy to injury and illness, but the main players, Rollins and Owens, still remain. With those two working together, WWE can still get plenty more out of this storyline if it just shows a little patience and some creativity. Fans know from past experience that Owens and Rollins are two of the best workers in the business. They've had classic matches before and still perform well together today. However, ending this feud with a plain, old singles match is too anti-climatic for a program this personal. WWE can get a lot more out of it simply by adding a few gimmick matches to it.
This feud is sure to elevate someone, or even both wrestlers if done correctly, so why not up the ante and end this rivalry with a number one contender stipulation? WWE can blow the lid off of it by making this feud end with a championship opportunity. On top of the personal consequences already set up by the storyline, a title shot would establish huge professional repercussions as well, making the winner of the feud all the more crucial. Either man would make a natural choice as the next challenger for the WWE title whether Brock Lesnar retains or Drew McIntyre wins the belt at Wrestlemania -- if WWE is likely to make one of them the next number one contender anyways, it makes all the sense in the world to take advantage of that now to build up their current match.
WWE could look to blow off this feud now and move either Rollins or Owens into a title program after WrestleMania. Giving Kevin Owens his WrestleMania moment at the expense of Seth Rollins' WrestleMania win streak would wrap this feud up nicely, but this rivalry is too personal to end on a simple singles match. There will be other events after WrestleMania, so why keep the two best wrestlers from working together during them? Pay per views like WWE Money in the Bank and Extreme Rules are scheduled for the upcoming months, so WWE could also look to keep the feud going into the future with any variety of potential gimmick matches. Imagine Kevin Owens facing "The Monday Night Messiah" in a Ladder match, or an Extreme Rules match? Either of those would be better matches to definitively end the feud and, as a result, WWE wouldn't have to miss the opportunity to have Owens and Rollins keep working together.
Inserting special gimmicks has already increased the interest in other WrestleMania feuds, but that isn't the only thing WWE can do to prolong Rollins and Owens' program. This feud is still the most personal storyline in all of WWE. Why not make it even more personal? Like the Randy Orton and Edge feud, the Rollins/Owens feud can go a similar route. WWE can involve Kevin Owen's family just by having Rollins mention them, thus taking this already personal feud to the next level. WWE could even insert Seth Rollins' real life girlfriend, Becky Lynch, adding another layer to the bitter rivalry. With WWE promoting Owens as more of a family man lately, why not take advantage of it and use family to fuel the feud?
While WrestleMania has been used to close out chapters of careers or storylines that have run their course, this isn't the time to close out the Rollins/Owens feud. Raw will continue after WrestleMania, and it will need strong storylines moving forward. Right now there's no stronger story than Seth Rollin versus Kevin Owens. These are two great workers who have the potential to put on many more classic matches in the months ahead. Quite frankly, WWE needs this feud, considering all the injuries and various superstars in quarantine that have depleted their roster. WWE has the means to continue, and strengthen, this feud. The question is, do they want to BURN IT DOWN or FIGHT to make this feud the best it can possibly be?