If this is the beginning of the end for The Shield...

[Crayo]

They have lost two SmackDowns in a row in 6-man competition. Something they were previously unbeaten in, and was something that they and WWE liked to tell everyone. They have gone over teams like Bryan + Brothers of Destruction but are now losing to The Uso's and Christian. Maybe this is the part of all stable stories where they start to lose and implode, setting up feuds between them and ending their stable. If this is indeed the case, answer these questions:

1. What's your reaction to The Shield splitting up?
2. Did WWE mess anything up with The Shield?
3. Was there potential for The Shield to be so much more?
4. Who will thrive the most from The Shield splitting up?

Whilst there is every possibility in the world that The Shield do not split for a long time, this thread is clearly based on the hypothetical scenario that they will be. So please, let's try not to derail this argument and say two losses doesn't mean they're splitting up, because that is not the point at all.

 

[DK JAMES]

I think it's getting about close to time for them to split it. I've never gotten tired of them so that just might be me, but they've been together since last November. I think the whole Shield concept was pretty badass overall, it went exactly how it was supposed to. The Shield were able to win the tag titles and the US Title so I don't really think there's more that they could have done. Once they all lose their titles, I see the Shield slowly breaking up. Seeing that Ambrose was the one to win the singles title, I see him thriving most from the Shield splitting up. He has a lot of what WWE is looking for. Roman and Seth (I hope) continue to be big players on WWE's roster through the mid-card and by beefing up rivalries. Overall I think the Shield reached their climax when they won their titles, and now are on the slow decline down to splitting up.

 

[Leo C]

Well, if Shield was to break up now it'd feel really abrupt, I wouldn't be a fan. Of course the excitement due to the curiosity about how it'll transpire and how each one will end up would be there but I wouldn't really like the decision. Uh... my only fault with their booking was that there could've been some character development in the later parts of the Shield, recently it just feels like they're a trio that comes out from the ramp instead of backstage, they're not acting like justice-seeking vigilantes so much (and something else to their characters besides that would've been welcome). There was potential (and there still is but that's not the point here as you said) for them to be much more if they had developed the backstory and their feuds a bit more, other than last-minute trio after last-minute trio being pissed off at them (I will admit though that I marked when they first lost. And the second one too, love the Spear but I digress again). As far as who'll thrive the most, well, there's long term and short term there, short term I think Ambrose seems like the one who'll make the most success. But long term I think Reigns will get the most backing from WWE due to his looks/style/presence and all (not to diminish WWE's faith in Ambrose and Rollins by any manner) so I think he'd be the one.

 

[Crayo]

Pretty sure they haven't lost two Smackdowns in a row. They lost against team hellKO before Payback and then this week to set up the feuds with the Usos and Christian.

Okay, 2 out of 3, shoot me dead.

 

[Stopspot]

1. They had a good run, better than most stables in modern wrestling and were made stars by it.
2. I think overall they handled them well. They were directionless for a while but it was handled well overall.
3. Not with todays WWE. Had they had the brand split I could easily have seen the Shield running a show, like Evolution did with RAW for a while. But I don't think it could have been as likely in todays modern WWE.
4. Reigns I think will thrive the most. Ambrose will have a good career as a main event/upper mid card heel depending on where he is needed. Rollins will be a new Jeff Hardy with less pill popping and better overall wrestling ability but I think Reigns will be the one to benefit the most because he is what the WWE brazz wants. Overall all 3 will do well and will hold at least one world title each I think. But Roman will end up being top dog in the long run.

 

[Farooq]

1. I wish it would last longer, but if they must part I won't be mad. They had a tremendous run, so far, nothing to be ashamed about.
2. Felt like they didn't have much of a purpose after Punk lost the WWE Championship, but at the same time they kept the group strong.
3. I'm unsure. Three people, three rookies to the WWE can only do so much, maybe the Intercontinental championship instead of then US championship would have felt better for the group.
4. Unsure, but I'll go with Roman Reigns just because Vince loves the big guys.

 

[Lockard 23]

1. It's inevitable, but it's still too early. It was just barely over a month ago that they evolved from being just a three man team that went undefeated in six man tag matches to holding championship gold. Just like it took months for them to lose a six man tag team match, it should take months before they lose their belts. They have a good chance to help raise the prestige of the US and Tag titles right now, too. Once they lose the gold, they can then build to the part of the angle where they self-destruct.

2. Them losing their first match on Smackdown instead of PPV. Them losing to Christian and the Usos. Remember on Raw when they faced off against Kofi Kingston and the Usos and people laughed, knowing that if different combinations of Cena/Taker/Sheamus/Show/Kane/Bryan/Ryback couldn't defeat The Shield, then what chance did these guys have? Well, replace Kofi with Christian (they're literally the same on the WWE totem pole) and you have the most recent team that has gone over The Shield. I know it's a loss that won't mean much in the long run but still. Otherwise, The Shield's story has been great with no MAJOR flaws that have brought them way down considerably or anything.

3. I would have liked to have seen a feud with Triple H, which I doubt we're getting now. The CCO of the company is tired of seeing The Shield run roughshod over everyone and so he gets his own team together to fight against them (what about the star studded team of Cena/Undertaker/HHH?) and even that team can't take down The Shield. I guess Triple H figured that losing a handicap steel cage match against Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman (that was a handicap match, right? Just checking...) was already enough jobs for this year and that he should win his next match. Maybe we could still get it if Vince (since he gave praise to The Shield) decides to have them attack Triple H or something and so he fights against them or whatever. Other than this, the way they've been booked is fine, for the most part.

4. Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins... Probably in that order. I think Rollins will have success but not as much as the other two.

 

[Snowman1]

1. I honestly don't know. It's odd. Don't think there's a place for them at the moment, but as a group they haven't really been doing much anyway for a while. Ambrose becoming just another mid-carder still scares me, keeping him with this group that Creative seemed to have run out of ideas with isn't quite as scary, but still. It's all in the followup I suppose, although having them end on losing that tag match on Smackdown is bullshit.

2. Yeah, there's plenty of things they could have been better, for instance they told us Heyman hired them to protect Punk just to beatdown Brad Maddox. That's it? That's all you could do with them being hired mercenaries OR affiliated with Heyman? And they could do several things with the McMahons like have Vince undercut Vickie by signing them to contracts, and all this other stuff. But still, in the end all three guys were helped sooooooo much as a part of this faction that we really need to leave our smart-mark brains behind and just enjoy three new GOOD potential main eventers we got thanks to this storyline.

3. See Answer 2, although I still see them grouped in with the top 5 factions in wrestling history. They aren't going to touch the NWO, the Horsemen, or DX, but in the current era they really feel much better than they are since it's so long since we've had a faction this good (especially since TNA is a thing)

4. If they're splitting up now, Ambrose will get the spotlight on himself so it's him by default. The other two will have their day.

 

[Nano]

I don't think this is the end of The Shield. I just think they're doing something good. Having an invincible team for me is boring. I think some losses is just a good thing right now, but I think they'll win a lot of matches too. This is something like the Aces and Eights, they have lost some matches but they're the best stable right now in TNA. I think WWE is trying to make something similar, prove they're human and can lose sometimes but that won't change the fact that they're the best stable nowadays in WWE.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

1.) Good. They started off feuding with the best in the company. Cena, Sheamus, Ryback. the Superfaces. They beat them. Then they went on to Hell No/Orton. They handled them. Now they are jobbing to Christian and the Usos on Smackdown? WWE clearly had the first few months of the Shield mapped out, but their planning ahead ended with them getting belts. They have nothing worthwhile for them at this point, so let them feud with each other.
2.) Just what I said above. They came in and made a huge impact and have completely fallen off the map since.
3.) Maybe, maybe not
4.) Ambrose

 

[Rogue]

1. While I love The Shield I feel like it's about time for them to split up,they went from beating Team Hell No & Undertaker to jobbing to the Usos & Christian. Have Rollins turn face and keep Ambrose and Reigns heel,have them feud against one another for awhile. It would be for the best.
2. Yeah,when The Shield first entered the WWE they had a purpose to attack people,they had a cause that they believed in,but, recently it feels like they've lost their cause. The WWE just doesn't know what to do with them anymore which results in poor booking. They'd be better off breaking up before turning into the better version of the 3MB.
3. It all depended on how WWE booked them.
4. I say all three of them have potential to become big. Reigns has the look,Rollins has the skill,and, Ambrose has the aggression. Out of the three I'd say Ambrose has the best chance,but, knowing how Vince loves the big guys I wouldn't be surprised if Reigns got the biggest push after they break up.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Tonight's ep is another perfect example of why they need to hurry and split. They feel like such nobodies compared to when they first sprouted up. I never imagined the almighty Shield would be so unimportant.

 

[Inpunkwetrust]

I hate every bit of the shield except that they helped Cm Punk in his 434 day historic title reign but I think by the end of the year if not earlier the shield will dismantle when they debut they were a massive threat but since Randy Orton and team hell no def them they are less of a threat. After the shield dismantle Dean Ambrose will probably go on to be one of the next main event but as for Seth Rollins I don't know I could see him at TNA but I couldn't see him continuing in WWE, Roman Reigns he's strong, powerful and has a lot of weapons up his sleeve but he just doesn't have the potential like John Cena, The Rock, Cm Punk, Triple HHH, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin and Undertaker. The shield made a big impact and then one belts but the WWE didn't think of the big picture. WWE will make another 3 man group (hopefully better than 3MB). If they don't break up well ill be damned but ill would like to see what the WWE would do with them. They've had a short but good run, but Vince loves the shield so he might be the one that keeps them in the business. The shield have been the epercentre of anything controversial so if they do leave what will the WWE do next?

 

[Crayo]

I don't think any of them are in danger of losing their jobs dude. They are three incredible talented young performers who have the world at their feet; the potential is just mouth-watering. I agree that Dean is the most likely to be a main eventer (with Reigns definitely), but Rollins won't be fired. I see him being the replacement for Jeff Hardy.

 

[Stopspot]

Unless one of them gets a major injury or a massive addiction it is pretty obvious that those 3 young guys are in the WWE for the long haul. Reigns and Ambrose will be top main eventers (I could see Ambrose dropping down to upper midcard when needed depending on the situation to work a program) and Seth will be a heavily featured upper mid carder and lower main eventer.