Seth Rollins is set to reignite old rivalries at WrestleMania, stepping into the ring for a high-stakes Triple Threat match against Roman Reigns and CM Punk. Known as “The Visionary,” Rollins will headline one of WWE’s marquee events, a familiar stage for the multi-time world champion. As fans await the clash, there’s renewed curiosity about another aspect of Rollins’ identity—his tattoos, particularly the striking Japanese characters inked along his spine.
Once viewed with skepticism in the world of WWE, tattoos have now become a powerful form of self-expression among wrestling’s biggest names. Rollins is no exception, having embraced body art as a reflection of his journey. Among his most symbolic tattoos is the phrase “forever on a burning page” inscribed on his wrists, a tribute to his roots and early years.
Before his rise in WWE, Rollins began wrestling at the age of nineteen under the ring name Gixx, performing in regional promotions like IWA, NWA Midwest, and Ring of Honor. In a candid interview during the show Superstar Ink, he reflected on his formative years. As a teenager, Rollins lived by the Straight Edge lifestyle, a subculture rooted in hardcore punk music that promotes abstinence from alcohol, illegal drugs, and often even meat. Influenced by nu metal and punk rock bands like Korn, Linkin Park, Slipknot, and Limp Bizkit, Rollins channeled his teenage angst and energy into music and writing.
The “forever on a burning page” tattoo was his first piece of ink, etched at age nineteen. According to Rollins, it symbolizes the turbulent phase of adolescence when he began to focus seriously on professional wrestling. It serves as a reminder of his humble beginnings and the emotional struggle of trying to find direction in life. During those years, he found solace in writing and in the camaraderie of road trips with friends—memories he now looks back on with a mix of nostalgia and melancholy. As he put it, the tattoo helps him remember a time when he was still finding his footing in the world.
The tattoo that draws perhaps the most attention is the one running down his spine, a sequence of Japanese characters inspired by the Bushido—the traditional moral code of the Samurai. For Rollins, this piece represents discipline, honor, and a code to live by as he carved out his path in the fiercely competitive world of WWE. His fascination with Bushido began after watching Tom Cruise’s The Last Samurai. He found a personal connection with Cruise’s character, who was lost and searching for meaning before finding peace in the Samurai way of life.
The values etched into Rollins’ back include integrity, respect, courage, honor, compassion, honesty, and loyalty. These principles, taken directly from Bushido, reflect a commitment not to perfection, but to personal growth and striving to be better. Rollins acknowledged that although he doesn’t live by these values perfectly every single day, they provide a framework that helps guide his decisions and keep him grounded amid the chaos of fame and professional success.
Though Rollins admitted he may feel jaded with the “warrior lifestyle” at times, he emphasized that his drive to improve remains unwavering. His tattoos are not merely decorative—they are permanent markers of the different phases of his life, from the rebellious teenager immersed in punk culture to the disciplined performer who continues to evolve, both in and out of the ring.
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