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WWE’s “The Shield” faction was one of the biggest successes of the last decade for WWE, with the group producing three names who would lead the professional wrestling industry for many years following the end of their alignment. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose have won 14 major World Titles between them following their initial break-up, with many more likely to follow in the future. There was a lot of money in a potential Shield triple threat match in WWE, which would have no doubt been the perfect way to main event a WrestleMania one year. This was a match that did in fact happen, but it was on the often-overlooked Battleground PPV in 2016.
Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, And Dean Ambrose All Found Themselves In The WWE Title Scene
Following the break-up of The Shield, WWE kept each man feuding for a little while, with Ambrose and Rollins in particular having some great matches. At WrestleMania 31, Seth Rollins would steal Roman Reigns’ moment by winning the WWE Championship, which he would hold for many more months. With how things were progressing, it seemed very likely that at WrestleMania 32, Rollins would defend the gold against both men in a huge triple threat between three of the biggest stars of the future.
RELATED: WWE: 10 Weird Shield Moments We Completely Forgot AboutUnfortunately, Rollins would suffer from a long-term injury, forcing him to vacate the title with plans changing from there. During the period in which he was out, fans naturally rallied around Ambrose but turned on Reigns. Despite that fact, WWE persisted with the super-push of Reigns as the future top babyface, the intent being for him to take the mantle from John Cena down the line. Ambrose’s popularity ensured that he remained in and around the upper midcard though, with him having some momentum by the time Rollins returned in 2016.
Rollins found himself going up against Roman Reigns at the Money in the Bank PPV, winning the WWE Title, only for the brand-new Mr. Money in the Bank, Dean Ambrose, to cash in his briefcase and win the WWE Championship, meaning that all three members of The Shield held the belt in the very same night, which was very historic. For the first time in a long time, all three men were involved in the top title picture at the same time, with things looking set for a triple threat match. However, there was no major PPV in the near future for this to take place.
WWE’s Brand Split Dominated The Story For Their Triple Threat Match
Around this time, WWE had announced that a brand split was to take place, after the roster had been one for a few years by this point. Rollins and Reigns found themselves on Raw, whilst the WWE Champion, Ambrose, was drafted to SmackDown. A match between the three was set for the next PPV - Battleground, which would be the last co-branded event (aside from the big four) for the next few years. Whilst the history between the three was talked about, the match was mostly built around who would take the WWE Championship to which brand.
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At ringside, the authority figures of Raw, Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley, and those from SmackDown, Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan, were watching proceedings, with the focus very much being on those individuals just as much as the three Shield members in the ring. It felt very lackluster overall, especially in the build-up due to Reigns being punished with a suspension for violating WWE’s Wellness Program, meaning that he wasn’t involved in the televised build. This left the entire event feeling a bit lifeless at times due to it not being what fans expected for a Shield triple threat match.
The Shield Triple Threat Was Good, But Could Have Been Better
Overall, the match was entertaining, with the three having unteachable chemistry. The video package prior to the bout was well-produced, and the history between the three alone ensured that the atmosphere was strong. There were some good sequences with each man getting a chance to shine, but there was still a lot holding it back. At times, the action felt rushed, and there wasn’t so much focus on storytelling, leading to more of a chaotic battle.
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Ambrose would win the match, with a huge celebration taking place as the new SmackDown roster came out to hoist him high, very much taking the spotlight away from just Ambrose specifically, when in actuality, it should have been a great moment for the most overlooked member of the group. In the end, the entire match, whilst being strong, felt like a big wasted opportunity for something better down the line, and felt very much like WWE decided to rush this match due to the wrestlers being on opposing brands for the foreseeable future.
