What happens to the man who gets the rub?

[LSN80]

From defeating the Shield, I mean.

In theory, it will be a team effort, defeating the Shield in a three on three contest. But the man who finally puts the end to the Shield's streak, not pinned or submitted in 9 months in 6 man one-fall tag matches, will receive quite the rub. Other then Brock Lesnar, perhaps, I've yet to see a debut as impressive as The Shield's. How often is it that 3 rookies are in the position to give a 'rub' to someone? Yet, because of the fact they've yet to be pinned or submitted, the man who does so is getting one heck of an endorsement, and possibly in line for major push.

Think about it, and the main event wrestlers that the Shield have beaten. It began nine months ago at TLC, when the Shield defeated Team Hell No and Ryback. At Elimination Chamber, they defeated John Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus. The night following, they defeated the team of Chris Jericho, Sheamus, and Ryback. Since then, they defeated Big Show, Randy Orton, and Sheamus at Wrestlemania, The Undertaker and Team Hell No, and two matches against Randy Orton and Team Hell No.

The key to the success of the Shield as advertised, has been impeccable teamwork. So one would have to think that the six man team that defeats the Shield will have to show the same teamwork. But every combination of Main Event wrestlers and future Hall of Famers have failed, and the Shield, with their seemingly impeccable teamwork, seem unbeatable in six man tag matches. It makes me wonder if the man and team who end the Shield's streak are even on the roster.

So what becomes of the man who does so? Obviously, he's going to need help, with his teammates holding the Shield at bay, but the man who will get the spotlight will be the man who ends the pinfall/undefeated streak of the Shield. As I said prior, the Shield is in the rare position of being rookies who actually provide a rub. I'd argue, perhaps, that the man who scores the pinfall/submission is scoring as big a victory as one can get obtain on TV/PPV. And with that victory, it could be the launching point for a major push for the man who does so.

Who do you foresee being the man that ends the Shield's streak of pinfall/submission victories in six-man tag matches?

Are they currently on the WWE roster, or is it someone we've yet to see on TV?

What will it do for the career of the man who ends the streak?

All of that brings me to the Shield themselves. While they are in position to provide a major rub to whomever ends their streak, that first loss also leaves them vulnerable as well. I think we sometimes forget, due to their dominance, that they are rookies still finding their way. In my mind, I would put off ending the streak until after the summer, perhaps with an Undertaker return. On the other hand, Undertaker doesn't need the rub. While it won't hurt the Shield in any way if Undertaker were to end the streak, no rub would be provided either. If the Shield's streak is to be ended, it needs to be extremely beneficial to the man who ends it. The aura of invincibility will be forever gone. Yes, they've lost single's matches, but not once by pinfall/submission in a nine month period. So it would seem that the man who brings it to the end, as long as his teammates, should receive a major rub and a push as a result. If I were booking, once again, I would make it a one-time thing for several months once it does happen. Following that, if kept together(as I believe tbey should be), they should re-claim their dominance in perhaps an even stronger way.

How would you book the Shield following once they lose that first match?

Is there a way to sustain their current momentum once that loss does occur?

Would you split the Shield following that loss, or keep them together? Why?

It's six questions, so feel free to answer none, or all six of them. They're just questions to provide ideas to spark discussion regarding the topic. Any other thoughts regarding the topic are encouraged and welcomed.

 

[Lee]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I actually think the Shield will lose the tag belts to 3MB. WWE have this thing where someone's on a roll and they have a shock loss. Can you remember Hurricane defeating The Rock?

I see it playing out like some big match v the Shield (6 man) at the PPV but on Raw they're v 3MB (tag titles on line) and they're screwed by their opponents for the PPV.

That way they still have their momentum but lose the titles.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

There's an old Asian expression...

The man who gets the rub, is the one who's left cleaning his underpants

I don't see them losing being a big deal. Rollins has been exposed as the weak link of this team and he could easily take a fall without it being a big deal for the guy who pins him or the The Shield as a unit. It's six-man tag, not one on one. Beating them would be big for 3MB, the Usos or some other low level tag team but not a single individual.

My expectation is that The Shield will drop pretty far in a few months just like other guys (Cesaro) who got big initial pushes. Then they will just have to work their way back up.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I don't think there will be any rub at all. Basically, the biggest rub one can get is defeating the Undertaker at WM and that all depends on who does it. If a group containing Sheamus, Orton, Kane, Taker, Bryan, etc. does it than so what? Even the possibility of a lower level tag team doing it would mean they would be the best of a mediocre division. The split is going to happen anyway. Roman and Seth will probably remain a tag team until one turns on the other.

 

[Duderino]

Isn't this part of why they're bringing in the Wyatt Family? That seems like the best thing to do. The Shield's accomplishments will protect them as a credible threat following their first bad loss. However, the Wyatts' victory over them will be a powerful rub establishing all six guys as a credible threat, leading to an awesome feud.

That being said, I do love the idea of 3MB winning the titles in a fluky fashion, possibly to drop them back shortly thereafter. It would be an entertaining, unpredictable twist. And we all know how Vince likes to spite the smarks.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure they lose to Team Hell No and Randy Orton tonight on Smackdown, wasting the opportunity of a much greater moment. Or giving the rub to somebody who needs it more.

 

[Tooker]

Yes, they've lost single's matches, but not once by pinfall/submission in a nine month period.

Sorry for this, but you made a mistake. (Oh, by the way, nothing wrong against you, so sorry if I seem rude..)

In fact, you made a mistake, and the funny part of it is that you made the mistake talking about the only man who has defeated one of 'em, in single competition : The Undertaker has defeated Dean Ambrose on smackdown, and that was, in the same time, the lase appearance in time for him (Taker). Justin never had the time to announce it, cause of the shiel'd attack on the phenom right after Ambrose's (tap's out)... So I can understand that you thought it was a DQ, but actually, the bell rung just before for a tap out..

And the WWE never hiped it, because the wanted the "invincible aura", as you said, to continue...

 

[LSN80]

Sorry for this, but you made a mistake. (Oh, by the way, nothing wrong against you, so sorry if I seem rude..)

Nah, no big deal man, thanks for pointing it out. It was a typo, as I meant to say, "Yes, they've lost single's matches, but they've yet to be pinned, submitted in one-fall, six man tag matches." Rep for you.

In fact, you made a mistake, and the funny part of it is that you made the mistake talking about the only man who has defeated one of 'em, in single competition : The Undertaker has defeated Dean Ambrose on smackdown, and that was, in the same time, the lase appearance in time for him (Taker). Justin never had the time to announce it, cause of the shiel'd attack on the phenom right after Ambrose's (tap's out)... So I can understand that you thought it was a DQ, but actually, the bell rung just before for a tap out..

Actually, Daniel Bryan defeated Seth Rollins on Raw. They've been less favorable to them when it comes to single's matches, although Ambrose has won when it counts. Essentially, the story they're telling is that the Shield is good individually in single's matches, but beatable. Put as a team? Good luck, you're not beating them.

And the WWE never hiped it, because the wanted the "invincible aura", as you said, to continue...

Agreed. They've hyped the six man tag victories, the single's matches left. That's because the biggest strength of the Shield has been booked as teamwork, not as single entities, other then Extreme Rules, specifically with Ambrose.

I don't think there will be any rub at all. Basically, the biggest rub one can get is defeating the Undertaker at WM and that all depends on who does it. If a group containing Sheamus, Orton, Kane, Taker, Bryan, etc. does it than so what? Even the possibility of a lower level tag team doing it would mean they would be the best of a mediocre division. The split is going to happen anyway. Roman and Seth will probably remain a tag team until one turns on the other.

Im referring to one man more then the group itself. Not that the other two men won't play a major role, but the man who finally pins/submits one of the three should be spotlighted. In the case of three of the men you mentioned, Bryan, Orton, and Sheamus, they're not main event men right now. A win here could provide major stepping stone back to that place, and something to brag about as well.

You could be right, and it could wind up meaning nothing. But the dominance of the Shield in these matches suggests otherwise.

 

[Tooker]

I understand what you meant to say, and I'm agree that they have never been defeated as a team (at least, not in TV, but in house shows... Well, it's the opposite, they always loose in 6 man tag matches.. But via DQ, so I think it doesn't matter..)

The team work looks absolutly perfect, I agree. Never a argue, never a miscalculation... They seem to have been a team since day one... Point to them, cause in NXT, they were not a team, so they had to learn each other, and real quick, it's remarquable..

DB has defeated Rollins on Raw; but how many time since the defeat to Taker? I think those two losses are not comparable. When Taker defeated Ambrose, WWE wanted the Shield to be unbeatable, even in single action (only losses by DQ, even in this way.. Only now, lot of weeks later, they made em look beatable... Now the teamwork is their biggest strenght, and specially when they face a so... Conflicted team, Team Hell-RK-No..

 

[Mustang Sally]

Essentially, the story they're telling is that the Shield is good individually in single's matches, but beatable.

We saw this was so when Daniel Bryan cleanly beat Seth Rollins the other night. I was glad of it because after witnessing Dean Ambrose' success as a single, I was thinking Creative was looking to make the Shield an unbeatable group of fighters, individually and collectively. (Yeah, Undertaker beat Ambrose, but that was 'Taker, after all). But I saw no reason to cast the Shield as rookies who could dominate every situation in which they engage. They started as a group of renegades, never entering the ring the same way everyone else does.....and interested only in ambushing people and conquering them with superior numbers, not concerned with winning titles. Bullies, in other words, who usually backed down when faced with even odds.

That's how Nexus started, too, but once John Cena finally assembled a team to defeat them, Nexus started becoming something else.....it was a logical progression. Now, with Shield cleanly beaten last night, their direction might change. Admittedly, I never expected it to happen on a non-PPV show. Really, the goal of the segment was to boost Daniel Bryan more than to lower the standing of Shield.

So, that's my answer to the OP question on "who gets the rub?"

It's Daniel, who is apparently headed for a push of massive proportions.

 

[LSN80]

That's how Nexus started, too, but once John Cena finally assembled a team to defeat them, Nexus started becoming something else.....it was a logical progression. Now, with Shield cleanly beaten last night, their direction might change. Admittedly, I never expected it to happen on a non-PPV show. Really, the goal of the segment was to boost Daniel Bryan more than to lower the standing of Shield.

Bingo. And in the long run, it could benefit both Bryan and The Shield, as I don't think the Shield is in for the pillaging the Nexus received. Bryan gets the rub by being the man who successfully navigated the seemingly inpenatrable teamwork of the Shield, not only to a pinfall, but a submission at that. The Shield becomes more ruthless and less cocky, as they were in their on-screen promo on Smackdown Friday night.

It's Daniel, who is apparently headed for a push of massive proportions.

No doubt, but where does he go from here? As much as the tag titles seemingly were below the Shield, they're way below Orton and Bryan. I smell a heel turn from Orton, why else team him with Bryan, but that's for a different discussion.

Daniel Bryan, losses of massive proportions, has been shot to the moon since Extreme Rules, both with featured matches on Raw and Smackdown, but with significant promo and backstage promos as well. And how did the crowd react to him making Rollins submit to end the Shield's streak? One could barely hear Lilian's announcement of the victors.

I now believe that once Cena is done with Ryback, and Ziggler Del Rio, Bryan will be first in line to challenge one of the two, likely at Money In The Bank. Perhaps Vince will want a match of epic proportions at MIT 2013 like he got at the same show in 2011 with Punk/Cena, and he'll go with Bryan/Cena, a first-time ever match, and undoubtably, a great one, with two of the greatest workers in the company getting 30 minutes to just GO.

And be it Ziggler OR Cena, I believe Bryan will win. He's that hot right now, and WWE would be foolish not to capatilize on it. Even if it is at Cena's expense. I'm a mark for the guy, sue me.