On paper, some could call Seth Rollins‘ match with Shinsuke Nakamura at Payback nothing more than a “bridge match” that keeps the WWE World Heavyweight Champion on television until he's ready for his next feud on a bigger card in the future.

Nakamura, once considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, hasn't been pushed very prominently in WWE at all since being drafted onto RAW in the spring, and even with the gimmick of Rollins' back adding intrigue to the contest, few believe the title will change hands during the main event of the Pittsburgh-based show.

Rollins, to his credit, isn't thinking about the match that way. No, in his appearance on After The Bell with Corey Graves and Kevin Patrick, the “Visionary” admitted that this is actually a bit of a dream match for him, as he's been a fan of the “King of Strongstyle” since he was one of the faces of New Japan Pro Wrestling.

“He's a dangerous cat. You look at his catalog, it's second to none,” Seth Rollins said via Fightful. “He's one of the greatest in-ring performers there is. In many ways, I'm thrilled our audience is finally getting to see the version of Shinsuke Nakamura that you and I fell in love with many years ago. I'm excited for him to be able to get himself to a place where clearly his confidence is rocking. You can see it, you can feel it, there is an electricity every single time he's out there, often at my expense, but even the pre-tape packages have been something to behold. You can see it. He's a special dude. He's vibing, he's feeling himself. The only issue for him is I'm also vibing and also feeling myself. We're two dudes at the top of our game. It's going to be special. A few years ago, some people might have called this a dream match. I think now, more than ever, it's a dream match. The fact that we have the World Heavyweight Championship on the line, it's only going to add to it and it's going to be a special night for both of us.”

Can Rollins, broken back and all, coax another five-star match out of Nakamura, who currently has two in his career? Maybe yes, maybe no, but for fans expecting a nothing burger in the main event, the “Revolutionary” may have other plans in mind.

Seth Rollins comments on his back health ahead of his Payback main event match.

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Elsewhere on the After The Bell, Seth Rollins discussed his back injury, which Shinsuke Nakamura has been playing up ahead of Payback.

Is Rollins really as bad off as the “King of Strong Style” has suggested? In a word, the answer is a resounding yes, as he's been in incredible pain for years now. That, however, hasn't stopped the “Visionary” from securing some of his signature matches in WWE, as his entire World Heavyweight Championship storyline came with the injury.

“He's not wrong. My back sucks. I've had these injuries for four or five years now. I have two stress fractures in the lowest vertebra you can possibly have in my low back,' Seth Rollins said. “Occasionally, they flare up. If they accrue too much damage, it can become extremely painful, and it can be very difficult for me to get through matches and it can be very difficult for me to get up for morning activities. There is absolutely a danger in that. If he does take a specific target to that body part, there is a possibility that it would debilitate me for the match and for a time after that. On the other side of that, I've had this injury for a long time. I know how to manage it. I'm smarter than I've ever been in the ring. I'm able to take the punishment. I've trained my body to take the punishment. I know how to work around it. That's going to be my intent as he is going to intend to target it. I won the World Heavyweight Championship with these injuries. I beat AJ Styles, Finn Balor with these injuries. I see no reason why I wouldn't be able to do the same thing with Shinsuke Nakamura, regardless of him targeting my back or not. This is the first time I've had someone really come at this injury, so that does make me a little nervous, but I feel confident I'll be able to handle it and push through.”

Could Nakamura parlay Rollins' back issues into a shocking win at Payback in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania? Or will Rollins pull out the W like he seemingly always does? In a few short hours, fans will find out.