The Shield at WrestleMania XXX

[The Eighties]

So it looks like the split is on hold for now and the triple threat between Reigns, Rollins & Ambrose for the US title is unlikely to happen, so what now for the most dominant group of recent times at the show of shows?

It seemed on Raw that the seeds for an issue between The Shield and Kane and Kane is one of those guys that WWE always get on Mania. I suppose they could do Kane vs Reigns but I don't see that doing much for anyone so Kane will probably get a team to tag up with.

There's an article on the front page suggesting Kane tags with the NXT tag team champions The Ascension to face The Shield. I guess that's possible, personally I'm not keen on The Ascension but there aren't a lot of options. I suppose The Outlaws could work given their links to The Authority, but they seem destined to face The Usos again.

In truth I don't see any great options to provide an exciting match-up but The Shield are good enough to make it work if it's either of the above teams, but I'm interested to see what ideas everyone here has.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I can't think of any reason why they won't/wouldn't have The Shield face off in a triple-threat match. Anything else would just be a let down. As good as they are, Shield 6-man matches happen all the time and it'll be hard to get excited about any match like that they put on.

If they want the split to happen later, you put two of them in a tag match and another, likely Reigns, in a one-on-one match. Though Reigns vs. Kane would likely be a terrible match. It'd highlight everything Reigns can't do.

 

[ASKane]

The Shield can put on greatness with anyone so however tags with Kane is likely to be part of a great match. I could see Rowen and Harper continuing there feud with the Shield by teaming with Kane but then the question of the kidnap storyline that Kane and Wyatt was involved in. The match will be:

Shield v Kane, ? and ?

 

[Eddie Menuek]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kane put them in a triple threat match, fueling the forthcoming split. I can't see him being given a prominent role in Wrestlemania but he holds the cards to be the catalyst of The Shield's breakdown, just when it looks like they're getting back on the same page.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Along with other suggestions, there's also the possibility of the Shield going face, as alien a concept as that might be for them. Certain factors have pointed at that, namely their short-lived war with the Wyatts (after all, who were you rooting for in that 6-man affair?) and last night's interaction with Kane, as he insisted the Shield help him when he was in trouble...... which probably says more about what the company plans to do with Kane than the Shield.

The Shield at WM30? I can't even guess; their direction has shifted so many ways in a very short time that 3 weeks is too long a period of time to try and figure what they'll be doing by then.

Could whatever they do at WM30 involve Kane? Sure it could, especially given that he has no other apparent plans and even while his status (wrestler or administrator?) seems to hang in the balance, he's still too important a performer to not have some sort of role at the big PPV.

Here's a stab in the dark: The Shield splits in the lead-up to WM30 with Kane & Dean Ambrose playing heel in a war against Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins as good guys.

Not a prediction; just a guess.

 

[kadroan]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kane put them in a triple threat match, fueling the forthcoming split. I can't see him being given a prominent role in Wrestlemania but he holds the cards to be the catalyst of The Shield's breakdown, just when it looks like they're getting back on the same page.

I could see it, especially what he did at TLC with Bryan and Punk. It'd be a good match without breaking up The Shield. Hopefully, it backfires on Kane where they put on one of the best matches in the show and they celebrate together at the end

 

[NickRude]

the Shield has been together since what, October, November of 2012? thats a long time in the WWE realm lol. so naturally, you know WWE is dying to break them up and have that payoff triple threat at Mania 30.

however, like many of you mentioned, Shield could definitely be in for a face run. i could see the Kane/Ascension vs Shield match happening, as its a way to introduce a new tag team and get them on a big stage, which WWE seems to like to do with guys now a days for debuts lol.

but back to what i said earlier, i still think WWE says a year and a half is enough, lets either split them or keep 2 of them together with the other staying heel/going face.

also, if they are going ahead for the triple threat, i think they should put the IC title on reigns on Raw within the next week or so..i know its not much time, but they can do an angle where Big E is screwed by Cesaro or Swagger to build up the Battle Royal or just have the shield get involved to help..then at Mania its a triple threat unification match..winner walks out with both belts...i kinda threw that idea in so that the IC title doesnt go to waste as i dont think WWE is going to pull double Mania duty with Big E too

 

[RomanReignsSpear]

I think they should do the triple threat but it's now not likely because according to reports from the main site it will be Shield vs Kane and The Accension.

 

[Skyeborne]

There is no way they will do a triple threat match. We all know Daniel Bryan will beat Triple H making the Main Event a triple threat. No way there will be two triple threat matches. Plus, they seem to have stepped away from the crack in the Shield storyline.

 

[jameswalsh292]

Well, I hope they don't have the triple threat match. While it would be great, I'm not ready for the shield to split. I am very entertained by this team and am far from board if them working together. I am excited to see how they would progress as a face faction. I would hold off on the triple threat until wm31 or summer slam 2014 at the earliest.

So, if the split is off at mania, what should the shield do?

Kane should definitely be involved now, after what happened on smackdown. Rather than a standard 6 man tag I would have an elimination tornado 6 man tag. Kane's tag partners are the hard choice. The best option would be to debut an unknown team at this coming raw and make them look real strong coming into mania. If there was enough time To make it believable I would turn sheamo heel to team with Kane and maybe throw in cap'n charisma cause you just know that he and Seamus are going to be good pals soon. The week before mania I would have Kane screw Ambrose out of the us title too, to add bad blood to the match.

I would have it go to 3-1 with reigns on his own to go on and eliminate all 3 opposing members on his own to again reinforce his dominance.

 

[The Eighties]

By this time tomorrow we should know The Shield's match for Mania. I think on Raw Kane will be booked to wrestle either Rollins or Reigns and The Shield will be attacked by Kane partners, probably The Ascension if reports are accurate.

If they go this route I hope they put a street fight stip on the match to juice it up a bit as The Ascension are not that good and I think Reigns could have a big Mania moment spearing Kane through a table, while Rollins could do something cool with a ladder. Basically just make it a bit more than a basic six man given the opposition is not that exciting.

 

[Rocky84]

I don't know much about the Ascension but from what I've viewed on YouTube they look pretty legit. They fit w/ Kane's dark persona too. I'm pretty excited to see them against the Shield. We need some more of the old school type gimmicks like the Wyatts and Shield are...darker, tougher, and character driven. I think we have enough full-named generic types...this is definitely something that adds to the refreshing feel that Shield and Wyatts brought. Hopefully I'm not wrong.

 

[Zycho32]

I'm only speculating out my ass, but you can still have the Shield as a United Babyface stable AND have them in a Triple Threat Match against each other, probably for that US Belt too.

It just has to be a punishment handed down by HHH, that's all. They did in fact tear apart an Authority Member against orders.

 

[WarroBODFan]

On Twitter at least, most of the talk is now of The Shield taking on Kane and the New Age Outlaws. After being teased a possible triple threat match between all three members, and after giving us Shield V Wyatts twice, forgive me for not exactly being thrilled about this possibility.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

If The Shield face Kane and any other tandem then WWE have lost the plot. Why hold off the inevitable Shield split and likely have them lose to Kane and some nobodies? The Shield can go into the triple-threat match still together and the match could be the basis for Reigns to break out on his own.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Kind of odd how we're less than three weeks away from Wrestlemania, and there's no official announcement for a Shield match. I guess WWE never had any real plans to break up The Shield, and they were just testing the waters with all the bickering and teasing.

After the face turn on Raw, WWE is past the point of no return for the split and a triple threat match now, because we're too close to Wrestlemania. It feels like a missed opportunity, when I think about this sight of The Shield making separate entrances through the Wrestlemania crowd for a staredown, with each Shield member standing in different corners. Sure, The Shield can have a run as faces until Wrestlemania 31, but a triple threat in 2015 won't feel the same, because the timing is perfect now.

It's obvious Kane will bring in two cronies to even the odds at Wrestlemania for a six man tag, but WWE is missing out on a golden opportunity with a triple threat.

 

[WarroBODFan]

Can't explain how disappointed I am that they're going with this angle. As I mentioned before, I'm probably only bitter because for so long we've been teased the breakup and the subsequent triple threat match, and then were completely spoiled with the feud against the Wyatts which is definitely one for the ages.

Whatever they were going to do, it wasn't ever going to compare to the matches and short-term feud with the Wyatts. But I know I'm not the only one who was already bored of the NAOs after a few weeks. Yeah, it was great to see them come back at old school Raw, and a couple of shows after that. But now? I'll pass.

 

[The Eighties]

Vs. Kane & The New Age Outlaws certainly wouldn't have been my pick, although I'm in no hurry for the split as I don't think Reigns is ready for the super push yet, he needs to gradually work more singles matches while still having the safety net of The Shield to fall back on.

I still think WWE missed a trick by not having a Shield vs Wyatt's rematch at Mania with a HIAC or TLC stip, I mean Cena vs Bray is building well enough but I don't think such a huge singles match was needed this soon for Bray either.

If they do go with the now seemingly inevitable 6 man tag then I hope they at least make it a street fight to spice it up a bit, as I don't see a regular 6 man being that great with the chosen opposition.

 

[L@RISANO]

First of all, I made no secret to the fact that I was looking forward to a Roman Reigns push post-Mania and the rumoured 3-Way break-up match.

That said; I think this Face turn was done due to the reactions the Shield got in the feud with the Wyatt family.

Personally, it has been intriguing how the Shield has been booked and it has been handled well thus far. This swerve with the Face turn has been an unlikely pleasant surprise, and it has given fresh possibilities for the Shield going into the new season Post-Mania.

One benefit from slow-burning the eventual Shield break-up is that all 3 of the guys have been given the spotlight(in different amounts obviously).

Indeed, the possible match vs Kane and NAO might not be what we all wanted, but I do hope it leads to a full-blown Authority inside dissension angle with the Shield going head-on vs the Authority and whoever is aligned with them. Also, if it is done that way, then there are a whole of possibilities which can only help elevate the 3 guys even more going forward.

So all in all, my take on it is, Yes, the match at Wrestlemania might not be one to look forward to, but, looking beyond Wrestlemania in terms of a Face Shield, assuming the goal is to elevate ALL 3 guys within perhaps, a 2 year period, then this Angle might turn out to be a Masterstroke in hindsight, if done properly.

I can only hope that come Royal Rumble 2016; There is:

Bray Wyatt; Dean Ambrose (Top Heels)
Roman Reigns; Daniel Bryan (Top BabyFaces)
Seth Rollins; Cesaro; Cody Rhodes (Fan Favourites)

Obviously, the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton will still be around.