Where Do You Go With The Shield From Here

[Dale]

It's a fair assumption to say that everyone would agree that WWE's booking and handling overall of The Shield so far has been pretty spot on. Whether you like the guys as an individual or not, you have to admit that as trio they're a perfect fit. You've got Reigns as the big physical presence, Rollins in-ring ability and Ambrose to do the lions share of the mic work. One thing they've done really well is to show all the guys as equals unlike they did with The Nexus for example where they had Wade as the leader and everyone else was basically fodder.

Now, they're coming up to their 6 month on the main roster and during that time they've taken out pretty much a who's who of the current WWE roster; The Rock, John Cena, Ryback, Chris Jericho, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Big Show, Kane, Daniel Bryan, HHH and The Undertaker. For a group of guys new to the roster, that's a pretty elite list of guys to either have victories over or taken out in a segment.

It's not a case of me becoming bored of them because believe me i'm not, but I do think that they need to take the next step with the guys because it's becoming all a bit too repetitive. If the sheets are to believed, then we can expect The Shield to take the tag titles from Team Hell No and while I do think it's the logical route to take I do worry what would be next for them. When you take into account the names I listed earlier and then the guys who are left for them to face in the tag division, it just seems like it could be a massive step backwards for them and end up losing all their momentum.

So with that being said, what would you guys do with The Shield? Would you have them take the tag titles and then maybe bring them back into a tag feud with someone like Sheamus & Orton? Would you have them go straight into singles action while they're hot but teaming up maybe once a month to keep The Shield aspect alive.

Discuss.

 

[zigglerHEEL]

Man, it really all does depend on who they would be feuding with for those tag titles once Hell No is out of the picture.... You're right you can't have them go from taking out all the biggest names in the biz to feuding with Kofi and Bourne over the tag titles.... Would be kinda cool to see a couple different big names try to team up to take them out.. I'm kinda guessing that Rollins and Reigns will be the team to hold the belts but I still think it would be great to have the old Freebird style brought back.... Any way you do it, they have to remain together... even during regular tag matches the 3rd guy has always got to be there and likewise for any singles matches....... and i can't wait for Cork to say they should all be jobbers on Saturday Morning Slam.... oh yeah except for Reigns cause he has that body type that Cork just droooooooooools over

 

[Andrew]

I've always said you either end this with Shield vs. Brothers of Destruction 2 on 3 handicap can work.

Or have HHH/Orton/Batista (if Batista ever does return) w/ Flair as manager. You can do an Evolution v. Shield kind of thing.

Right now, tag belts; have Roman or Ambrose win the IC belt and actually defend it and look super-strong.

 

[Twist of Fate]

You've got Reigns as the big physical presence, Rollins in-ring ability and Ambrose to do the lions share of the mic work. One thing they've done really well is to show all the guys as equals unlike they did with The Nexus for example where they had Wade as the leader and everyone else was basically fodder.

At first I was actually worried they were going the same route of Nexus in that the microphone would be passed around equally to all members and they'd all be having equal roles roles within the group and without anything much to distinguish them (other than their common goal as a group - a problem a lot of teams and groups are stuck with).

They were doing that initially here but i'm glad they're fleshing each member out and using them better to their strengths - Reigns for example is the clear sole "big guy" of the group. He doesn't need to do too much talking and it's good that they've instead used him as the imposing presence as well as in an instrumental role for their victories.

This is the sort of thing WWE needs to do more of when it comes to other "teams/groups" in future.

If the sheets are to believed, then we can expect The Shield to take the tag titles from Team Hell No and while I do think it's the logical route to take I do worry what would be next for them. When you take into account the names I listed earlier and then the guys who are left for them to face in the tag division, it just seems like it could be a massive step backwards for them and end up losing all their momentum.

For me the greater concern is WWE's reputation when it comes to anything involving the Tag Team Division. I'm worried that they're kind of going to hit a dead end because there's really no much to work with as is Tag Team-wise and it's not like the titles themselves mean too much. There's likely only so much they can do with Team Hell No before they start to lose the momentum they gained from beating those guys you mentioned.

WWE are required to do something in order to make up for this - maybe have some (possibly uneasy) alliances made between "big" top stars (like what has been the case currently but in relation to the tag titles and attempting to stop Shields momentum). Have them win the titles and keep retaining - while the titles themselves don't mean much it's a nice aspect to uphold and can be used to symbolise their growing dominance in WWE (with the opposing team attempting to stop that). It wouldn't hurt to have one of the members win a singles title in the process (that way as a team they can defend under the Free Bird rule, while having extra focus and exposure with "backing up" supporting the singles champion).

 

[Nevermore Arcanum]

I think they're doing great just doing what they do now, but you're right. After beating all those names, it does seem like a dead end, kind of like reaching the top of a ladder. You can't go any higher. Even the tag titles seem kind of a step down after all that, but it wouldn't hurt.

 

[The Cork]

I know everyone would be against this, but like, fuck you?

I think they should bring back some part time legends to put them over, like Rock & Sock Connection, Bros of Destruction, New Age Outlaws, hell, even Edge and Christian.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

It's a tough call really, WWE has pushed them so well that it would be a shame for them to just lose all. But at the same time, they've done it all save getting any belts on them. Taking the tag belts and going the Freebird route would be awesome really. It's the only thing I can think of right now.

It's a tough call really, WWE has pushed them so well that it would be a shame for them to just lose all. But at the same time, they've done it all save getting any belts on them. Taking the tag belts and going the Freebird route would be awesome really. It's the only thing I can think of right now.

 

[We Are Legion]

They should stick to what they're doing with them now for the foreseeable future since this angle has a lot of gas left in the tank. Going after the tag titles eventually would be fine as long as they were captured quickly without any hype so they aren't seen as feuding with mid-carders. Like maybe they piss off Vickie, she books them against the tag champions, and they win... or something like that. But I wouldn't really count on a tag title run honestly. It might be preferable if Ambrose captured the World Heavyweight title immediately after someone beats Dolph for it.

But honestly, I'm just really not seeing them as title contenders in the role they currently have. They seem like a faction more bent on punishing champions and championship-contenders seemingly without regard to actually becoming champions themselves. However, you can only run with that angle for so long before they'll inevitably be seen as nuisances as opposed to serious threats, and that's when you look towards either expanding the faction by a few members and/or adding more motive to their actions. I'm not against the idea of the faction expanding, I just don't think it's necessary right now. And I really don't think it's necessary to put under-card titles on them for the sake of just giving them belts, like the US/IC/Tag titles because that might just make them look like even more of nuisances.

 

[DeathChamberzMusic]

Right now they are still an emerging attacking type group. All wierd triple threat matches. You need to now decide what they are going to be. I hope they keep them together and tag team champs like the Freebirds were any of the 3 can tag. It helps that any can split off the group and still have a group

 

[Luke Flywalker]

If the WWE wants to impress people, a few things have to happen.

Mark Henry & Big Show need to form the next super-team and destroy everyone in their path on the way up to facing Team Hell No for the belts at Summer Slam. Team Hell No should win, leaving people to believe there is no team who can stop them. The following night when they're wondering who is next, maybe have a team make their way out to the ramp to challenge them, only to be attacked by The Shield, where Reigns & Rollins officially make their challenge to win the straps at the next PPV... even taking out Show & Henry on their way to the PPV.

I think there also should be a 4th man... as I've wanted to see Ohno in the group since the Royal Rumble. They don't need to be aligned with a leader, just a bunch of young guys hungry for the opportunity they rightfully deserve. This would help keep the "group" on track even as Reigns & Rollins defend their titles and Ambrose presumably starts chasing the IC/US title.

...I've got more on where I think they should attack WWE Champion CM Punk down the line after he cashes in MITB, but for now, I believe you could work with this idea.

 

[Deezy]

Not hard to book here, give them the tag titles, Freebird em for a year, have them beat up everyone they want, faces/heels, don't matter, they need to be non-WWE heels. They need to be outsiders type of heels and they need to destroy anyone that gets in their path. I also think them beating on legend tag teams would be amazing for them and get them over huuuuge. Eventually one guy wil get over big and the reluctant new face eventually feud with his old counterparts. Basic as you can get.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Job them out hopefully.

Annoying that the only non established Main Eventers that WWE actually pushes is these guys. Ziggler got jobbed out like crazy, so does Cesaro, Swagger was jobbed into oblivion, to the point where they had to take him off of TV to salvage his career, etc.

 

[Deezy]

Ziggler may have done a million jobs, but he was and still is over. Wins/losses don't mean shit to anybody watching other than would be bookers. You see these guys everyweek and some more than once in matches, so the casual audiences are not counting how many losses someone has, they go show to show and judge talents by that. Especially heels if they do something dastardly they are viable challenges to the top guy just by being evil.

Anyways, these guys are protected well and should be together for atleast a year to initiate a breakout star.

 

[Kahuna]

Would I be far off if I said that Shield could continue to dominate WWE until WrestleMania 30 when they face off against Taker?

Logically I think it could make sense, but Im assuming WM 30 Taker will have a more marketable opponent, I.E Cena or Rock (if he isnt done), maybe Brock.

Shield is one of the best things going right now, and Im usually the one not hopping on bandwagons like most do when a new faction or introduction of "new" guys or "indy guys" being called up or comes around. I absolutely hated and dreaded the Nexus from start to finish, they were the most boring and bland group of guys to ever be given that push, but with these three there is a chance they can all do something great once the group disperses. These guys have potential, and I wouldnt mind seeing them take on Taker when he comes back for revenge at Mania next year. After they lose, they can go their separate ways.

 

[The Cork]

Taker vs Shield in a 3 on 1 handicap, I could buy that as a threat to the streak.

Still think they need to dump Ambrose though, and it has nothing to do with him being an indy guy or vanilla midget, he just isn't intimidating in the slightest. He gives me the same jobber vibe Eugene or Colin Delaney did, how this guy is slated for the top is beyond me.