The Shield at various points served ashired guns for CM Punk andThe Authority while later going on to face their former employers in separatefeuds.[13][14] They wrestled in the main event of numerousRaw andSmackDown television shows and headlined one pay-per-view, the2014 Payback event, which was their final match as a trio until 2017.[15] Rollins left the group on June 2, when he attacked Ambrose and Reigns with a chair and sided with The Authority.[16] Ambrose and Reigns went on their own ways as singles wrestlers later that month, marking the end of The Shield.[6]
Following the group's dissolution, each member of The Shield went on to become aworld champion. All three reigned asWWE World Heavyweight Champion within a three-minute span at the end of the2016 Money in the Bank event: Rollins defeated Reigns for the championship and then Ambrose cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase (which he won earlier that night) on Rollins to win the title.[17]
In the lead-up to the 2017SummerSlam event, Ambrose and Rollins reunited and captured the Raw Tag Team Championship fromCesaro and Sheamus.[18] Then on the October 9 episode ofRaw, the trio reunited to feud withThe Miz, Cesaro and Sheamus.[19] In December 2017, the team dissolved once again after Ambrose suffered an injury. Following Ambrose's return from injury the previous week, The Shield reunited once again on August 20, 2018 episode ofRaw to preventBraun Strowman from cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on Reigns. However, in October that same year, The Shield disbanded following Reigns' hiatus over hisleukemia rediagnosis and Ambrose's betrayal towards Rollins. After Reigns returned in February 2019 and announced that his leukemia was inremission, the trio reunited and won the main event match ofFastlane that same month. Although this was promoted as The Shield's final match together, they reunited at the special eventThe Shield's Final Chapter, Ambrose's final WWE match due to not renewing his contract.
The Shield performing their signature pose in May 2014
The Shield has from the beginning of their existence voiced their intentions to fight what they perceived as "injustice".[4] They were also known for their black ring attire (includingprotective vests) with each member having their own style,[20][21] their tendency to approach the ring through the live audience[22] and their trademarkpromos, which were recorded from a first-person perspective using a handheldcamcorder.[23] They were a group which possessed teamwork and a willingness to sacrifice themselves as an individual for the good of the team,[24][25] which achieved victories by overwhelming opponents with superior numbers after incapacitating their teammates.[26] The Shield referred to WWE as their "yard" during their speeches[27][28] and were nicknamed as "The Hounds of Justice".[20]
For their individual characters:
Dean Ambrose – played the "de facto leader" and "mouthpiece" of the group.[29][30] Ambrose's role was described as being "the more vocal leader of the group" and was then tweaked to become more verbally arrogant in mid-2013.[31] WWE also described Ambrose's character as "slightly off" and "wild".[8]
Roman Reigns – was established by WWE as the "powerhouse" and "heavy hitter" of The Shield, as well as an "exceptional athlete".[8] Reigns was noted as the least talkative of The Shield members.[32] In mid-2013, Reigns' character was described as being tweaked to become extremely confident and a source of leadership with "quiet strength".[31]
Seth Rollins – was described as having a "chaotic" in-ring style.[8] In mid-2013, he was described as "the out-spoken, hot-head who will do crazy things" to help The Shield.[31] In 2014, Rollins gained the labels of "TheAerialist" and "TheArchitect" of The Shield.[33][34] While out of character, Rollins explained "The Architect" moniker as that he had a "cerebral approach" in coming "up with the blueprints" for their wrestling matches or storylines.[35]
Interim characters:
Kurt Angle – atTLC (2017), Kurt Angle joined Rollins and Ambrose to battle the team ofThe Miz,Braun Strowman,Kane,Sheamus andCesaro. The Shield would win this match and Angle would soon leave, as his alliance with The Shield was a one-time replacement for Reigns.
The group were originally supposed to wearturtlenecks and carryriot shields, but changed their attire before their debut.[36]CM Punk later said he come up with the idea of The Shield, which he proposed were to be his storyline protectors and consisting of Ambrose, Rollins andKassius Ohno—Punk described "their guy", Reigns, replacing Ohno, who had been rejected byTriple H.[37] WWE Spanish announcerMarcelo Rodríguez named the group for Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins "The Shield" on November 19, 2012, one day after the Survivor Series event.[38]
History
Original run (2012–2014)
Mercenaries for CM Punk
The Shield made their entrance by the arena steps
Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins debuted as The Shield atSurvivor Series 2012 on November 18 by interfering in theWWE Championship match, helping CM Punk retain his title againstJohn Cena andRyback.[39] On the November 26 episode ofRaw, they introduced themselves as a group fighting against "injustices".[4] Although they denied working for Punk or his managerPaul Heyman, The Shield repeatedly targeted Punk’s rivals in the weeks that followed.[4][40] Their actions led to their in-ring debut atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 16, where they defeated Ryback andTeam Hell No in a six-manTLC match.[41][42]
On the January 7 episode ofRaw, The Shield again assisted Punk by attacking Ryback during a WWE Championship TLC match.[48] Two weeks later, they attackedThe Rock, promptingMr. McMahon to warn that any interference in Punk’s upcoming title defense at theRoyal Rumble would cost him the championship.[49] Despite Punk publicly distancing himself from the group,[50] The Shield attacked The Rock during a blackout at the Royal Rumble, allowing Punk to retain. However, McMahon restarted the match, and The Rock ultimately won the title.[51] The next night onRaw, it was revealed that The Shield had been secretly working under the direction of Paul Heyman all along.[52]
Undefeated streak
The Shield addresses the crowd duringRaw in February 2013
On the January 28 episode ofRaw, The Shield attacked John Cena, along with Sheamus and Ryback when they tried to intervene.[52] This led to a six-man tag team match atElimination Chamber on February 17, where The Shield secured the win.[53] Their rivalry with Sheamus continued, culminating in a match atWrestleMania 29, where they defeated Sheamus, Randy Orton, andBig Show.[54]
In the weeks that followed, The Shield began targetingThe Undertaker. After an attempted ambush on the April 8 episode ofRaw was thwarted by Team Hell No, the two groups faced off in a six-man tag match on the April 22 episode ofRaw, which The Shield won.[55][56] They attacked The Undertaker again on the April 26 episode ofSmackDown following his match with Ambrose.[57] AtExtreme Rules, Ambrose defeatedKofi Kingston for theUnited States Championship, while Reigns and Rollins captured theTag Team Championship from Team Hell No.[58] Their dominance was briefly halted on the June 14 episode ofSmackDown, where their undefeated streak in televised six-man tag matches ended against Team Hell No and Randy Orton.[59]
All champions and Triple H's enforcers
Rollins and Reigns lost their WWE Tag Team Championship to Cody Rhodes and Goldust
In August, The Shield began working as enforcers forTriple H and aligned themselves withThe Authority.[60] AtBattleground in October,Cody Rhodes andGoldust defeated Reigns and Rollins in a non-title match, earning (in storyline) reinstatement to WWE.[61] On the October 14 episode ofRaw, Rollins and Reigns lost the Tag Team Championship to Rhodes and Goldust following interference from Big Show.[62]
Cracks in The Shield
Dean Ambrose became the longest reigning United States Champion under the WWE banner at 351 days
The first seeds of dissension were sown in The Shield (especially between Ambrose and Reigns) with Ambrose's boasting of being the only member left with a championship,[63] but from then on Ambrose was frequently pinned during The Shield's matches.[64][65] At Survivor Series on November 24, The Shield teamed with The Real Americans (Antonio Cesaro andJack Swagger) to defeat the team ofRey Mysterio, the Rhodes Brothers andThe Usos in aSurvivor Series elimination tag team match, with Ambrose being the first man eliminated.[66]
In late November, they started a feud with CM Punk,[67] leading to ahandicap match between Punk and The Shield atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15, which Punk won after capitalizing on The Shield's lack of co-ordination after Ambrose was accidentallyspeared by Reigns.[68] WWE originally planned to break up The Shield after the match, but they asked to remain together due to their lack of experience as singles wrestlers.[69]
Going into 2014, Punk's taunts increased tension between The Shield members,[70] and Reigns emerged as the only Shield member to defeat Punk in a singles match on the January 6 episode ofRaw, albeit with a distraction from Ambrose.[71] All three members of The Shield competed in the 2014Royal Rumble match, during which Ambrose tried to eliminate Reigns, who retaliated by eliminating both Ambrose and Rollins.[72]
On the January 27 episode ofRaw, The Shield faced Daniel Bryan, John Cena, and Sheamus in a qualifying match for theElimination Chamber, but lost by disqualification following interference fromThe Wyatt Family.[73] At theElimination Chamber event on February 23, The Shield were defeated by The Wyatt Family.[74] Tension within the group increased when, on the March 3 episode ofRaw, they lost a rematch after poor teamwork led Rollins to walk out during the match.[75]
Rebellion against The Authority
The Shield wore half-masks during an entrance in April 2014
On the March 7 episode ofSmackDown, the members of The Shield met in the ring toclear the air on their disharmony, and Rollins explained that his actions achieved his purpose of getting Ambrose and Reigns to finallysee eye-to-eye, which led to the trio ultimately reconciling.[76]
On the March 17 episode ofRaw, The Shield turned tobabyfaces and feuded with Kane after refusing to assaultJerry Lawler. The feud also involved The Authority'sThe New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg andBilly Gunn) after they sided with Kane, culminating in a match atWrestleMania XXX, which The Shield would win.[77] Authority leader Triple H then reunited his previous stableEvolution with Orton andBatista,[78][79] and atExtreme Rules, The Shield defeated Evolution.[80] The following night onRaw, Triple H forced Ambrose to defend the United States Championship in a 20-manbattle royal without Reigns and Rollins being involved. (Though they were both outside the ring during the match, they could not physically interfere.) Ambrose would end up losing the title after he was the last wrestler eliminated in the match by Sheamus. AtPayback, they defeated Evolution in aNo Holds Barredelimination match, in which no Shield member was eliminated.[81]
Rollins' betrayal and separation
Following his split from The Shield, Rollins (left) is confronted by his former teammates
The following night onRaw, Triple H announced his intention to continue Evolution's feud with The Shield, but Batista quit WWE and left Evolution.[82] Later that night with The Shield in the ring, Triple H's "plan B" for destroying The Shield turned out to be Rollins suddenly attacking Ambrose and Reigns with a steel chair, signalling Rollins re-alignment with The Authority.[16] On the June 9 episode ofRaw, Rollins described his betrayal as severing a business relationship and that he had destroyed "his own creation" to further his own interests, while Ambrose and Reigns (still labelled as The Shield)[83] addressed Rollins' betrayal with Ambrose describing Rollins as a "cancer" in The Shield, while Reigns claimed that Rollins "committed the most unforgivable sin".[84] Later that night, Ambrose and Reigns had their final match as The Shield, teaming up with John Cena to defeat The Wyatt Family.[85]
While Ambrose and Reigns did not fall out with each other, they did begin to take separate paths as Ambrose declared his intention to take revenge on Rollins, while Reigns set his sights on the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.[85] While the duo were still referred to as The Shield on the June 13 episode ofSmackDown,[86] Ambrose debuted new theme music, ring attire, and entrance on the June 16 episode ofRaw.[6][87] Reigns, however, largely retained The Shield's ring attire, theme music, and continued to enter the ring through the live audience.[88][89][90] On the June 24 episode ofMain Event, Reigns confirmed that he was on his own and no longer with The Shield, thus confirming that The Shield had dissolved.[91]
Subsequent reunions (2017–2019)
2017
In August 2017, Ambrose and Rollins reformed as a tag team and were later joined by Reigns to fully reunite The Shield
Throughout July 2017, Ambrose, who was drafted to the Raw brand via theSuperstar Shake-up,[92] and Rollins teased a potential reunion between the two, but Ambrose continuously declined Rollins's offer to reunite, primarily due to trust issues from Rollins' betrayal three years prior.[93][94][95]
On the July 31 episode ofRaw, Rollins was confronted byRaw Tag Team ChampionsCesaro and Sheamus, and later won a match againstSheamus after which the duo attacked Rollins before Ambrose came down to make the save, though backstage Ambrose told Rollins that he would not help him if Rollins got outnumbered again.[96] The following week onRaw, after Rollins lost a rematch against Sheamus and was once again attacked after the match, Ambrose did not help him. Later that night, Ambrose defeated Cesaro, only to be subsequently attacked by the duo before being saved by Rollins.[97] On the August 14 episode ofRaw, an argument in the ring culminated in Ambrose and Rollins brawling with each other only to fight off Cesaro and Sheamus and performing a fist bump to a loud ovation.[98] Rollins and Ambrose defeated the champions atSummerSlam, winning the titles.[99]
Ambrose and Rollins reunited with Reigns, who had a feud with The Miz.[100] On the October 9 episode ofRaw, Miz opened the show with Cesaro and Sheamus, but they were interrupted by the reunited Shield, who attacked the trio, leading to a six-man tag team Tables, Ladders and Chairs match between The Shield and the team of Cesaro, The Miz and Sheamus atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.[101] Later,Braun Strowman andKane were added to the match as part of The Miz's team. However, Reigns was pulled out of the match on October 20 due to illness andKurt Angle took his place.[102]
At the event on October 22, Ambrose, Rollins and Angle won the match and Angle was officially considered a temporary part of the faction.[103] Ambrose and Rollins lost the titles back to Cesaro and Sheamus after SmackDown'sThe New Day appeared and caused a distraction on the November 6 episode ofRaw.[104] Reigns returned the following week onRaw, and The Shield challenged The New Day to a match atSurvivor Series on November 19, which they won.[105] On the November 20 episode ofRaw, Reigns won theIntercontinental Championship by defeating The Miz following a distraction by the other Shield members.[106] In December 2017, Ambrose suffered a triceps injury and was written off TV, thus putting The Shield on a hiatus.[107]
2018
On the August 13, 2018 episode ofRaw, Ambrose returned from his injury and reunited with Rollins during his feud withDolph Ziggler andDrew McIntyre. Rollins later regained the Intercontinental Championship from Ziggler, while Reigns won the Universal Championship fromBrock Lesnar atSummerSlam. On the August 20 episode ofRaw, Reigns retained the Universal Championship againstFinn Bálor, withBraun Strowman watching from the entrance ramp. After the match, Strowman attempted to cash-in hisMoney in the Bank contract, however, Rollins and Ambrose made the save, preventing him from cashing in and putting him through the announce table with a triple powerbomb. AtHell in a Cell on September 16, Ziggler and McIntyre retained the Raw Tag Team Championship against Rollins and Ambrose, while Reigns and Strowman's Universal Championship Hell in a Cell match ended in a no contest following interference from Brock Lesnar. The Shield and the team of Strowman, Ziggler and McIntyre had a match atWWE Super Show-Down on October 6, where The Shield was victorious.
On October 22, 2018 episode ofRaw, Reigns relinquished his Universal title due to real-lifeleukemia and later that night, Ambrose attacked Rollins after they won the Raw Tag Team Championship. Two weeks later,the AOP defeated Rollins in a handicap match to win the Raw Tag Team Championships, with Ambrose attacking Rollins after the match.
2019
In January 2019, WWE confirmed that Ambrose had declined to renew his contract, which was to expire in April.[108] On the February 25, 2019 episode ofRaw, Reigns returned from his leukemia and reunited with Rollins. Later that night, they assisted Ambrose during an attack fromElias,Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre andBaron Corbin.[109] The following week, Ambrose saved Reigns and Rollins from McIntyre, Lashley and Corbin, after which the three performed their signature pose.[110] On March 10, The Shield defeated the team of McIntyre, Lashley, and Corbin atFastlane, which was promoted as the group's final match together.[111]
Before the formal end of Ambrose's contract with WWE, The Shield made a final appearance during aWWE Network special event calledThe Shield's Final Chapter. In the main event, The Shield defeated Corbin, Lashley and McIntyre, in both the group and Ambrose's last match in WWE.[112][113] Ambrose's contract expired on April 30, and he departed WWE to wrestle forAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) andNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under his former ring name Jon Moxley.
Post-initial split and legacy
For the remainder of 2014, Ambrose and Rollins feuded with each other due to Rollins's betrayal and alliance with the Authority, whereas Reigns was quickly inserted into world title contention.[114][115] Ambrose and Rollins's prolonged feud wonPro Wrestling Illustrated'sFeud of the Year award for 2014.[116] At the end of the year,Pro Wrestling Torch writer Shawn Valentino labelled The Shield as a "three-headed dragon" and the seventh top WWE story of the year, writing that The Shield "was one of the coolest acts in wrestling in recent years, and most fans believed they were broken up prematurely," adding that "each member of The Shield has made their mark, and they all look like they will be big stars in the future".[117] Reigns won the2015 Royal Rumble, earning a title match againstBrock Lesnar atWrestleMania 31. During the match, Rollins cashed in hisMoney in the Bank contract and pinned Reigns to win theWWE World Heavyweight Championship.[118]
Despite no longer formally operating as a team, Ambrose and Reigns continued to infrequently work together and maintained an on-screen friendship following The Shield's split.[119][120] On the January 9, 2015 episode ofSmackDown, Reigns was about to be put into a handicap match against Rollins and Big Show until Ambrose came to the aid of Reigns and helped defeat them, with the two continuously helping each other against The Authority thereafter.[121] On the May 4 episode ofRaw, Ambrose defeated Rollins in a non-title match and (as per a pre-match stipulation by the Director of Operations Kane) gained his first opportunity for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, being added to the title match atPayback on May 17 and making it a fatal four-way match, also including Reigns and Randy Orton,[122] who was pinned by Rollins.[123] During the match, Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins briefly worked together to perform their signature triple powerbomb on Orton through the announce table.[124] On May 31, Ambrose faced Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship atElimination Chamber, where he won by disqualification. After the match, Reigns emerged to help Ambrose fend off an attack by The Authority.[125] Despite the win, Ambrose did not gain the championship, but he still took the championship belt with him and challenged Rollins in aladder match atMoney in the Bank on June 14, which he lost.[126]
After Rollins suffered multiple knee injuries in November, a tournament was set up to crown a new champion.[127] The tournament began on the November 9 episode ofRaw, involving 16 wrestlers and with the final match scheduled forSurvivor Series to determine the new champion.[128] At Survivor Series on November 22, Ambrose and Reigns won their respective matches to advance to the finals, where Reigns defeated Ambrose in the main event to win the vacant title, only to lose it almost immediately after the match to Sheamus, who cashed in hisMoney in the Bank contract.[129] AtFastlane on February 21, Ambrose and Reigns wrestled in a triple threat match also involving Brock Lesnar for the right to face Triple H atWrestleMania 32 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which Ambrose lost after Reigns pinned him.[130]
After Reigns successfully defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship againstAJ Styles atExtreme Rules on May 22, Rollins returned from injury and attacked Reigns to immediately set his sights on the title he never lost.[131] All three members of The Shield briefly reunited on the June 13 episode ofRaw, when Ambrose hosted hisAmbrose Asylum segment with Rollins and Reigns as guests in a lead up to their respective matches atMoney in the Bank: Ambrose in the Money in the Bank ladder match, Reigns and Rollins in the main event for the championship.[132] At the event on June 19, Ambrose won the Money in the Bank ladder match, and Rollins regained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Reigns in the main event, only to lose the title to Ambrose immediately afterwards when he successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.[133] All three members of The Shield competed in a triple threat match for the renamed WWE Championship atBattleground on July 24, where Ambrose was victorious after pinning Reigns.[134]
The Shield members briefly reunited once again atSurvivor Series on November 20 during itstraditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match, with Rollins and Reigns on Team Raw and Ambrose on Team SmackDown, when all three members executed their signature triple powerbomb on Ambrose's rival AJ Styles after Ambrose turned on his team to attack Styles.[135] In December 2016, they appeared together atTribute to the Troops during a backstage segment withThe Club andThe New Day.[136]
^Rollins won the NXT Championship before the Shield formed, but continued to defend the title as a member of the group.
^When Reigns and Rollins held the championship, it was called the WWE Tag Team Championship, but after the2016 WWE draft in which the title became exclusive to the Raw brand, it was renamed the Raw Tag Team Championship.
^Ambrose and Rollins won the Raw Tag Team Championship before The Shield fully reunited and as such they are not recognized as The Shield in the official title history.
^abWortman, James."Dean Ambrose def. U.S. Champion Kofi Kingston".WWE.Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. RetrievedMay 24, 2013.Dean Ambrose scored a major victory for "The Hounds of Justice" by becoming United States Champion
^Clapp, John."The Shield def. Randy Orton, Big Show & Sheamus". WWE.Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. RetrievedMay 24, 2013.Before the opening bell, The Shield made their trademark entrance through the WWE Universe, carving a path through the packed MetLife Stadium floor and its thousands of passionate WWE Universe members
^Asher, Matthew."Raw: Bryan's road through Hell continues".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. RetrievedAugust 31, 2013.It appears as though The Shield is now Triple H's lackeys as they open tonight's Raw as makeshift bodyguards (Jerry Lawler called them "henchmen") for The Game as he makes his way to the ring.
.jpg)
Media related toThe Shield at Wikimedia Commons