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The Post’s Joseph Staszewski will be bringing you around the world of professional wrestling every Tuesday in his weekly column, the Post Match Angle.

Acknowledge him. No, not Roman Reigns, but Seth “Freakin’” Rollins.

We have heard plenty from WWE and Reigns himself about how the “Tribal Chief” is in “God Mode,” putting himself in the pantheon of the all-time greats and dubbing himself the best performer of his era in the promotion. Reigns deserves all the praise he gets, but if you don’t think Rollins has at least put himself right on that level — and potentially even a step better — then you need to look a little closer.

What’s really been the difference between the on-screen accomplishments of the two over the past year? Reigns is booked to win and be champion, while Rollins hasn’t won a pay-per-view match clean since he defeated Cesaro on June 20, 2021 at Hell in a Cell. That’s one whole year. His lone “win” is by DQ against Reigns at the Royal Rumble.

Rollins losing so much doesn’t allow WWE to make the plain-to-see comparisons about what he’s done to greats such as Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backland.

Like Reigns, Rollins has found his ideal on-screen character — cackling laugh, swag and all. Maybe outside his stellar 2016, Rollins has never been more entertaining week in and week out. He can easily flip from babyface to heel depending upon his opponent — just ask Reigns when he was the babyface to an extent in their feud — and doesn’t need an entourage. There is no special counsel, no Usos to do his dirty work, just Seth Rollins, one-man show.

Rollins has his own unique style with his suits each week — no WWE T-shirts here. Even his pay-per-view outfits have become must-see as he’s used them to play storyline mind games with his opponents. Rollins wore his Shield gear against Reigns with the full entrance, Dusty Rhodes’ polka dots versus Cody Rhodes and gear inspired by Rey Mysterio’s Halloween Havoc 1997 for their feud. It is another level of intriguing unpredictably that makes fans want to see Rollins’ opponent beat him even more.

All of it has allowed Rollins to do the hardest job in pro wrestling: staying fresh, relevant and a believable threat to his opponents even while losing.

Then there is the sheer quality of the matches he has helped deliver. The all-time greats get the best out of their opponents and can have multiple matches with the same person and still keep them fresh. Rollins does this consistently and Reigns, after a very, very strong start as Tribal Chief, has slipped a little bit in his match quality. His overhyped WrestleMania 38 match with Brock Lesnar underwhelmed. 

Since last year’s WrestleMania, Rollins has had just four different opponents in pay-per-view singles matches and completed two stellar trilogies with Edge and Rhodes. Since Reigns’ last four-star singles match from the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer — a title defense versus “Demon” Finn Balor at the 2021 Extreme Rules in September — Rollins has had six singles matches rated four stars or more. (Rollins vs. Reigns at the Royal Rumble was 3.5 stars and potentially not helped by the DQ finish). Rollins’ Hell in a Cell match with Rhodes was the first five-star WWE match since CM Punk versus John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011.

(Yes, Meltzer’s rating system is based on his preferences but it’s one of the few tangible systems we have to compare wrestlers’ work.)

Rollins built a WrestleMania story this year without an official opponent to play off of on TV, and made you believe at least for a second it might not be Rhodes. And while he and Rhodes can now draw money together at any moment for years to come, Rollins likely helped establish the “American Nightmare” as a star worthy enough be the person to end Reigns’ historic title run. (Potentially taking the moment from himself.) Reigns so far, potentially outside Rollins hand Jey Uso to an extent, hasn’t helped WWE produce a new main event star. Though he will maybe get his best chance with Riddle next week on “SmackDown.”

The praise Rollins and Rhodes received after the Hell in a Cell match started to shine a light on just how good a run this has been for the former Shield member. It could get better should he win Money in the Bank. Rhodes, who still needs to do it in WWE away from Rollins, could get to that level, too. But right now in WWE, it’s Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and everyone else.

Acknowledge that.           

AEW introduced the All-Atlantic championship along with a tournament that will conclude at Forbidden Door to crown the inaugural title-holder. It will likely serve as a quasi-European championship while the TNT title becomes like a TV title. Where do I start with my issues with this? One, AEW does not need another singles championship. It technically already has six if you count the three Ring of Honor titles and the FTW belt. Heck, even Adam Cole is walking around with a championship from the Owen Hart tournament. Secondly, AEW just finished a tournament at Double or Nothing with weeks of tournament matches on TV. The last thing we need right now is another tournament-style event with qualifying matches to reach the four-way match for the title at Forbidden Door. Third, the title is called the “All-Atlantic” championship, but includes flags from Pacific Ocean countries China and Japan. My fear is that this is just a booking Band-Aid to give AEW’s crowded mid-card something else to do without developing real stories around them. I’d put it on Miro or Malakai Black.

Introducing the All Atlantic Championship 🏆 #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/kryLw613pd

Paige, whose real name Saraya-Jade Bevis, announced Friday the she will be leaving WWE on July 7 and said on her Twitch stream (via the Wrestling Observer) that WWE didn’t want to re-sign her and it was “not my decision” to walk away. The 29 year old – who had a run as SmackDown general manager — expressed regret the company didn’t used her more often in other roles after she had to give up in-ring action because of her neck injury in 2018. She added that she does not have a 90-day non-compete clause and is open to working for other promotions if the money is right.

“I’m appreciative of WWE,” Paige said on Twitch. “I really am. They helped me so much they got me a therapist when I had drinking and alcohol issues. They kept me a long time even after my neck surgery, sitting on my ass. I felt like I had so much left to give there as someone who can cut a decent promo and do a managerial role. It is what it is.”

Man all of you have made me feel like the coolest person in the world 🥹 Appreciate all the love and support. I’ll miss WWE greatly but I’m nervous but excited for the future. Thank you ❤️ If you wanna come hang out, I’m about to start my stream:https://t.co/OWyEbCqPLJ ❤️

The former Divas champion did tease a potential return to action at some point, noting she “1000 percent” felt she could compete again.

“That day will most certainly come again! Wherever the return may be,” Paige tweeted.

Paige feels like someone with so much more to give the world or pro wrestling and if that’s in the ring our outside of it, getting her back in the fold in some way is good for the industry. It would likely need to be in a babyface role as fans will love to see her back.

Jeff Hardy’s latest DUI arrest makes it pretty clear he needs a long break from wrestling and time to finally get his life right – even if it means not wrestling again. AEW needs to get its response to this right and be strong-handed and compassionate at the same time.

Only Vince McMahon would book a pose-off with a splash of baby-oil to the eyes to main event “Monday Night Raw”, which is what we got from Bobby Lashley and Theory. It’s just another of example of WWE pulling out all the stops, good and bad to get heat on their new Chosen One.  

Now that just wasn’t nice… #WWERaw @_Theory1@fightbobby pic.twitter.com/9PFoldjJpP

There is a lot to like about the direction of NXT women’s division starting with Roxanne Perez winning the breakout tournament. It feels like some combination of her, Cora Jade and Indie Harwell – all of whom the brand has done a fine job building — will dethrone Mandy Rose and Toxic Attraction as champions.

Let’s hope at least two things happen around the Intercontinental championship. One, this isn’t the last time we see new champ Gunther and Ricochet battle for it. Two, WWE allows Gunther a reign where the title is pushed front and center and restores some gravitas to it. The potential is certainly there.  

Having Britt Baker and Adam Cole win the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation tournament is looking more and more like a booking blunder. Instead of putting some significant momentum behind new faces, AEW women’s champion Thunder Rosa feels without a worthy challenger and it appears we are getting another go around of “Hangman” Adam Paige and Cole to face IWGP World Heavyweight champion Jay White on Forbidden Door.

While I’m happy to see Apollo Crews get a fresh start in NXT, potentially feeding Bron Breakker another of the main roster’s former mid-card players feels underwhelming. Right now there is no reason for him to go to the main roster because WWE just keeps sending guys down to him. Also, outside of short IC title run WWE give its audience few reasons to care about Crews but now they are running commercials trying to get that same audience to care enough to watch him on NXT?

Anyone else interested to see how WWE is going to pull off Ezekiel’s older brother Elias returning to Raw to give a concert next week?

The situation around the TBS championship feels like it’s being booked for a triple-threat match with how strong Kris Statlander has looked after wins over Keira Hogan and Red Velvet, and Athena coming to save her last week. If only AEW was dedicating this level of storytelling to it women’s world championship.

So let me get this straight? Mark Sterling is the defense attorney for security guards injured by Wardlow. His bright idea, instead of going to court, is to have 20 more security guards have an elimination match against Wardlow, who we have already seen beat up about that many at once already? AEW is just buying time before Wardlow has a TNT championship match, but this seems like a silly way to do it. 

I’m not sure why WWE felt the need to add the stipulation that Riddle can’t challenge Reigns for the undisputed title again if he loses. Why close that door so quickly? But it does feel like Miz or Sami Zayn will be the cause of Riddle losing.

Roman Reigns (c.) vs. Riddle, Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (SmackDown, Friday, Fox, 8 p.m.)

This is Reigns’ first defense of the unified championship and a huge moment for Riddle to continue to show he belongs in the main event scene. How WWE has Reigns win will say a lot about its feelings about the Original Bro.

Jay White, New Japan Pro-Wrestling

White’s ridiculously good heel run adds another major milestone as he defeated Kazuchika Okada in the main event of NJPW Dominion — the company’s SummerSlam-like event — to win the IWGP World Heavyweight championship over the weekend. The match and the promos “Switchblade” cut after reaffirm the leader of Bullet Club’s place at the top tier of the industry as a grand slam champion in New Japan and now its face going into Forbidden Door. 

Honorable mention: Gunther (WWE), Trevor Murdoch (NWA)  

The main event for Forbidden Door is set with Hiroshi Tanahashi facing Jon Moxley for the interim AEW world championship in the first-ever singles match between the two.

WWE announced its second NIL class consisting of 15 members on Monday. That included Rosedale, Queens native and Hofstra wrestler Zachary Knighton – a top-25 NCAA heavyweight. The NCAA’s top heavyweight, Cohlton Schultz, also signed along with Michigan State football and basketball player Maliq Carr. WWE won “Brand of the Year” at the inaugural NIL Summit at the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday.

WWE’s Extreme Rules will be Oct. 8 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Tickets go on sale July 15.