Seth Rollins: WWE's Universal champion out to make more 'good memories' in Saudi Arabia at Super ShowDown

Rollins defends his title against Baron Corbin in Jeddah on Friday at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium

WWE Universal champion Seth Rollins wants to build more "good memories" in Saudi Arabia when he competes in Jeddah on Friday night at WWE Super ShowDown.

Rollins, 33, will defend his title against Baron Corbin during the event at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, which begins at 10pm UAE time and is available to watch on the WWE Network.

It is the third time in 14 months that WWE have held an event in Saudi and Rollins is delighted to be back in the Middle East.

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He told The National: "The reception has been awesome, as it always is. I am very excited to see how the event turns out tomorrow night."

Rollins made history at the inaugural show in Saudi, The Greatest Royal Rumble, held in Jeddah in April 2018, when he retained his Intercontinental Championship in a four-way ladder match against Finn Balor, Samoa Joe and The Miz.

It was the first ladder match held in Saudi in a WWE event and Rollins said: "I just remember it being really fun.

"I didn't know what to expect going in, from the crowd, as it was the first event we had done over here and I didn't know how they were going to take to it and if they had even seen a ladder match before.

"The fact the response was so good, and that I came out on top, meant it was a lot of fun, and it completed a really cool trip last time. I have had some good memories in Jeddah and looking to build more of them tomorrow night."

It is not the first time Rollins has made history in the Middle East, having been part of the first cage match held in Abu Dhabi in December 2017.

He and Dean Ambrose went up against Sheamus and Cesaro in a tag-team title match at Zayed Sports City.

Of that encounter, won by Sheamus and Cesaro, Rollins recalled: "That was a blast too. Again we didn't know really what to expect. We didn't know if the fans would really gather what was going on in a cage match, let alone a tag-team cage match, as there is a lot of chaos being thrown in there with four guys.

"But it was cool and one of the funner cages matches I can remember having. Obvious those matches are brutal on the body but it was cool to get the response that we did.

"It was a good time and hopefully I will get the opportunity to have more matches like that in the future here in the Middle East."

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The past year since he first competed in Jeddah has seen Rollins become one of the top faces in the company.

He joined a long reign as Intercontinental champion, won the Royal Rumble in January and then defeated Brock Lesnar to become Universal champion and start his third reign with a WWE world title around his waist.

Rollins hopes it is just the start of a successful run at the top of the industry.

"It really has been quite the last two years for me," he said. "I have really been on a roll. I really hit my stride last year, as you mentioned, with two WrestleManias in a row having two title wins.

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"When I look back at this stretch of my career it will be interesting to see where it stacks up with the other parts of my career.

"It has been a renaissance for me from a character perspective. I am the happiest I have ever been and relatively healthy.

"I am in the middle of my prime, I have just turned 33, so who knows what the next year is going to bring."

Other confirmed matches on the card in Jeddah include The Undertaker v Goldberg, Triple H v Randy Orton, Roman Reigns v Shane McMahon and a 50-man Battle Royal.

Tickets are on sale and start from Dh25 and can be bought at www.shark.sa.

Predictions on Friday's WWE Super ShowDown, including the Rollins v Corbin clash, can be viewed in the gallery above.