Damian Priest vs. Seth Rollins: Backstage Reaction to Controversial WWE Money in the Bank Moment

Referee Rod Zapada stopped himself from counting three during a pinfall.

By Liam Crowley

Damian Priest left Toronto with his WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but not without some unexpected help. WWE Money in the Bank saw Priest defend the WWE World Heavyweight Title against inaugural champion Seth Rollins in a high-stakes bout. If Rollins lost, he would never be allowed to challenge for the prize for the remainder of Priest's reign. If Priest lost, he would have to leave his faction, The Judgment Day. Prior to Mr. Money in the Bank Drew McIntyre attempting to play spoiler, Rollins laid out Priest with a Falcon Arrow, resulting in referee Rod Zapada counting the 1-2. Despite Priest not kicking out, Zapada stopped the count prior to three.

Backstage Reaction to WWE's Botched Money in the Bank Pinfall

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(Photo: WWE)

WWE has moved on.

As reported by insider account @WrestleVotes, there is "no real heat" on referee Rod Zapada following the botched pinfall count during the WWE World Heavyweight Championship bout between champion Damian Priest and challenger Seth Rollins. It was added that "in years past" there would have "absolutely" been blame and consequence placed on him.

"Referee's decision is final," WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque said during the WWE Money in the Bank post-show press conference. "I'm looking forward to having a conversation with the referee to see what he saw that I didn't see, that you didn't see, that no one saw. Human beings in a ring, mistakes happen, things happen. It is what it is."

Rollins himself did not look pleased during the match, as WWE cameras caught him saying, "Oh, f--k off," to Zapada.

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"It's a shame that that's all people will talk about," Triple H continued, referencing how the botched pin overshadowed what ended up being a great match. "That's just the negative outweighs the positive sometimes, and to me, I wish I could just go in the back, shut off his phone, have no one talk to him for a while and just let him think about all the other great stuff that happened in that and the roll that he has been on and how great of a job he has done as world champion, and what he's done to get there and deserve it. He deserves all the credit in the world for all those things."

Fallout from WWE Money in the Bank begins tonight on WWE Monday Night Raw on USA Network at 8 PM ET.

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