From the most recent RAW Rant re: The Shield--"Shame they’re breaking up because they’re all coming into their own as workers and talkers." Isn't that actually the best possible scenario? Each of them becomes their own unique force and they have a great blow-off at Wrestlemania before moving on to becoming three upper-Mid to Main Event players?
Furthermore, imagine if they were one of the few stables to have a great blow-off without becoming diluted and/or limping around forever. A few years from now you could have some storyline that brings the three back together for a legitimate "grown men mark out" moment unlike every tedious nWo or DX reunion.
I'd be fine with swapping out Reigns and replacing him with someone from NXT like Adrian Neville, or ideally Chris Hero if he hadn't left, but it feels like there's still a ton of juice left in the original gimmick, much like D-X getting reinvented in 1998. Splitting them now would just leave Seth Rollins in no man's land, whereas if you spread it out a bit you can get two or three big storylines out of it.
I didn't buy a ton of Apter mags because I didn't get an allowance as a kid, but I bought the PWI 500 each year from my local Rite Aid shop, one of the PWI Almanacs, and a few random magazines. I remember regretting not getting the one where Inside Wrestling or whatever did a computer simulated tournament of all the big guys in wrestling. I remember one year HBK beat Hulk Hogan and they had a color poster of Michaels delivering an elbow drop to a bloodied Hogan. That just blew my mind.
ReplyDeleteThe part I loved most was the rankings at the back of the magazine. At the time they had rankings for overall, tag teams, and then for wrestling in the WWF, WCW, ECW, and USWA and then had a few local promotions rankings (I remember Itallion Stallion's PWF was on there). New Japan and All-Japan had rankings too IIRC.
I still don't see why they can't do a Radicalz style split where they have some tension but work through it, then do an amicable pseudo-split over the summer only to have a big reunion in a few months.
ReplyDeleteafter WM IV Hogan wore a quasi-motorcycle helmet to the ring, which, intrue Hulkster Fashion, frequently got used as a foreign object. THIs was around when Hogan was wrestling Bad News Brown. I think it was mainly to conceal his bald spot.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I'd just turn them all babyface and have Reigns be the leader, and you can slow-build to the Ambrose heel turn months later.
ReplyDeleteWhy? If anything, it extends the feud and gives it legs past Mania, as Ambrose sics his dogs on Reigns in a campaign to get his US title back (since presumably, Reigns is the guy who ends the reign). Maybe they cost him the title. Reigns then has to go through the new Shield guy (or guys, since I don't see why you couldn't add two more) to get to Ambrose, regaining the title and blowing it off.
ReplyDeleteJust needs a warm body or two, preferably a guy who can be the dark, brooding, silent monster Reigns has been, like a Rusev for a Leo Kruger.
I'm really hoping Shield vs. Wyatts end in a schmozz and we get the blow-off at Mania. Sure, WWE might strain to stretch the feud out another six weeks, but it's way hotter than they could get Wyatt/Cena, especially since they never followed up on the Wyatts' Rumble interference. Seriously, I don't think Cena ever addressed it.
ReplyDeleteThen, while you do Wyatts/Shield, you put newly-heel Sheamus with Cena instead of with Bryan. There's more of a story there since Cena has never actually beaten Sheamus by pinfall or submission before.
Sounds good. Make the turn heel again with Ambrose bringing in a new guy, both beat down Reigns. Reigns gets on one knee and reaches out to Rollins for help. Rollins, being the peacekeeper until now, looks to both Ambrose and Reigns, forced to choose a side. Eventually does his Black Out stomp on Reigns to join the new three man Shield. He can discover the "error of his ways" later and turn back on Ambrose/new guy to rejoin Reigns.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, I think the big thing WWE fails to realize is that fans don't just want to cheer Reigns. Sure, they want to cheer him most, but really, I think fans would love to go bananas for all three of them. Rollins could play a perfect, Jeff Hardy-style face-in-constant-peril, while Ambrose has the kind of charisma that could inspire fans to cheer him, even while he's being slimy. They could finally have the Shield stand up to HHH, and you'd likely have grown men losing their shit in the aisles. They're leaving tons of cash on the table by not milking a babyface Shield for all its worth, and by making that sweet babyface merch profit.
ReplyDeleteHell no should Dean Ambrose ever be a face.
ReplyDeleteWell, as long as they don't make him a jokey, pandering face, I think it could work. But he's definitely one of those guys who's a natural heel, and it'll be a hard sell to convince audiences differently.
ReplyDeleteI agree that they should replace him.. not sure about Kruger b/c they kinda have the same look. If Mason Ryan could wrestle worth a damn, he's be great. But overall they should definitely do a Four Horseman type deal and replace members when necessary.
ReplyDeleteThey could easily bring up the Cena thing again after EC. But yeah a true blowoff to the Shield/Wyatt feud seems more worthy for Mania.
ReplyDeleteIf Flair, Jake, Piper, Austin, and Punk can all get over as antiheroes, no reason to think that Ambrose couldn't, either.
ReplyDeleteA tough guy with a smart mouth? What's not to like?
It's just... Ambrose being a face would completely negate his mic work. I love him to death but I don't think he could pull off an antihero character like those guys.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree - the fans already like them and think of them as "cool heels", may as well make them a group of tweeners that are willing to fight anybody.
ReplyDeleteI mean, this be a PERFECT opportunity for Rollins-Reigns to be all "You think the NAO are better tag-champs than us(?)" to Trips.
It's not like he has to be a nice guy; he can still be a slimy asshole, only he's willing to fight anyone instead of just heels.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I feel like this is going to be Legacy all over again. I mean it's not quite as bad because Randy Orton was already an well-established main eventer that used Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase as launching pads to get himself over as a babyface. However, I do see them getting Reigns over as a monster face at the expense of both Rollins and Ambrose in a triple threat match at Mania, and then both Rollins and Ambrose having to reinvent themselves, similar to how Rhodes and Dibiase had to. I think Ambrose will be able to stay relevant because of his ability to talk, but I unfortunately see Rollins getting lost in the shuffle because of his not so good mic skills. It's obviously a shame because Rollins is such a great worker.
ReplyDeleteMy big issue with the impending break-up (which has been teased for months) is that it just feels very forced. We see that there's dissension in the group, but why? Because Punk once mentioned that he wants to fight "the best" out of the three, and these guys have been arguing ever since?
ReplyDeleteJust doesn't feel legit to me. When Ambrose ducks a challenger, I feel like Reigns should be telling the interviewer to mind their own business, not calling Ambrose out on it.
I know the asshole top face has been WWE's thing since Hogan but I wish we'd get someone who can balance that type of character more. Reigns seems like he could be a nice guy without being a goody goody.
ReplyDeleteRollins has never had good mic skills sadly. He does have a good look though and thankfully is over 6 feet tall.
ReplyDeleteOh, I didn't even mean that Ambrose should be the top guy or anything, I just meant that I think Ambrose can easily be the kind of guy that kinda, sorta turns face for a bit, but then quickly reestablishes himself as a heel. Kind of like Rock in 1998, getting pops even though he's really just fighting for his own benefit, and then becomes an even bigger heel by stabbing the fans in the back.
ReplyDeleteNobody stands up to HHH really, silly rabbit.
ReplyDeleteIt's because his nose gets in the way.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Rollins actually the tallest of the three?
ReplyDeleteI mean, he's billed as being the shortest, but he always seems to be an inch or two taller than the others when he's standing in the ring with them. Even in their "promo photos" where they're posing shoulder-to-shoulder, he and Reigns seem to be the same height, despite Rollins slumping down a bit while Reigns has his head held high.
Reigns is 6 3, Ambrose is 6 2, and Rollins is 6 1. Rollins might wear lifts though.
ReplyDeleteOh god, I had so, SO many of those. Now I miss them all over again.
ReplyDeleteWell, they already did that with Bryan.
ReplyDeleteHis gimmick so far has been delusional shit head. Not saying he can't be a babyface, but Ambrose isn't...cool.
ReplyDeleteForced? It's been a near perfect natural progression ever since the moment that Ambrose opened his big mouth and bragged that the was the only champion left in the group, with the other 2 giving him a dirty look. And now Ambrose is getting more and more insecure about Roman's success as he's always seen himself as the leader of the group. It's a wonderful slow burn.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who lived through the Corporate Ministry or The Alliance should see where this Rollins/Ambrose/Reigns vs. Wyatte/Harper/Rowan this is going: The Shield Family.
ReplyDeleteThere's an old PWI out there with a half page colour photo of a young APMark going one on one with the great one....Kaz Hayashi....who am I kidding? I know exactly where it is.
ReplyDeleteDoes this also mean a reformation of the greatest stable in pro wrestling history, THE UNION?
ReplyDeleteWow, the very first mag pictured there with the midnight express and Andre vs Savage - that was the first mag I ever bought. Strange coincidence.
ReplyDeleteSame here, never heard of it until today.
ReplyDeleteI though Ambrose was tallest. Wiki says 6' 4". He has the Edge build.
ReplyDeleteIt was back in 1988...I remember because it was brought up in the same mag covering the then recent heel turn by the Powers of Pain. Almost certain it was Sports Review Wrestling.
ReplyDeleteI agree. He can't be a babyface looking like Stephen Dorff in "Alone in the Dark".
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJkDPQSfB7c&t=1m22s
Nick Dinsmore was a WCW job guy?
ReplyDeleteJake wasn't "cool" either.
ReplyDeletethis x 100. imo The Shield as a bad ass face trio = money!
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree. one of the major appeals of The Shield (well, at least for me) is that right from the start it was made clear that this wasn't just another of these "one huge star (in the making) plus forgettable lackeys" groups but instead a trio made up of three potential main event guys.
ReplyDeleteI'd have Rollins join the Wyatt family... have the announcers push the storyline of Rollins as "A great wrestler, but a follower. Without the other members of the Shield, he's lost" and have him become the workhorse of the Wyatts.
ReplyDeleteFor a few months actually. He looks like he's about 19.
ReplyDeleteGlad you don't write for WWE. Awful fantasy book.
ReplyDeleteReigns is really coming into his own as a bad ass almost cool heel. I hope when he does turn face they let him be a bit of an antihero.
ReplyDeleteReigns has had a few good lines.
ReplyDeleteI think he'd be over huge if he works Trina Michaels into a promo again.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, the Road Warriors had the best and coolest pictures.
ReplyDeleteSeemingly they had a house show match that the internets were buzzing over in 98-99 or something.
ReplyDeleteHe was born on December 17, 1975, making him 22 here.
ReplyDeleteFunny to see that the Apter mags repeat storylines too. Inside Wrestling Nov. 82 and The Wrestler Annual from Summer 1989 have the same Blackjack Mulligan headline of "There's no Mulligan blood in Barry Windham's veins!".....
ReplyDeleteBret vs. Hogan as a throw-away match. smh
ReplyDeleteSo a "not bad" match is a C- and a "not terrible" match is a D+. What would a bad but not terrible match be?
ReplyDeleteA D+/D. A match can be acceptable though not good. It's like a two star match.
ReplyDeleteI'd be willing to if I could find a full run of them.
Just thinking the same thing! I loved how Gorilla would justify him using it.
ReplyDelete