QUESTION - Can a re-united "The Shield" be the next WWE "cash cow" moving forward?

[Heyman]

QUESTION - Can a re-united "The Shield" be the next WWE "cash cow" moving forward?

The following seems to be true:

-Roman Reigns will not be a successful heir apparent to John Cena
-Seth Rollins will not be a successful heir apparent to John Cena
-Dean Ambrose will not be a successful heir apparent to John Cena.

However, I think a re-united Shield, in its entirety, could be a successful heir apparent to John Cena in terms of being the next WWE cash cow.

Imagine a scenario where The Shield re-unite, and then dominate the main-event scene where at least one member of The Shield is constantly going after the World/WWE title (i.e. they take turns going after the title). If a situation occurs where two members of The Shield must go against one another, they have competitive bouts, and then go back to being friends after the match.

It would be a little tricky to pull off, but that's what would make it cool:

1) The Shield would be the only stable in wrestling history, to have more than one main-eventer within the stable, while co-existing with one another due to a mutual understanding that the WWE is a business and that friendships needs to be put aside for business.

For example - Reigns and Rollins could be stablemates within The Shield, but if the two are competing against one another in a PPV main-event, they do whatever they can do win. After the match, they go back to being friends.......and unlike other stables such as now, Evolution, etc., The Shield "make it work" somehow.

I like this idea a lot to be honest.

A re-united Shield helps both Reigns and Rollins, and also gives the WWE the potential to have a TRUE Shield/Wyatt Family feud (i.e. a feud that had the foundations to be epic a few years ago but was rescinded once The Shield split).

A re-united Shield being the 'alpha' of the WWE could be similar to how the Hall, Hogan, and Nash dominated WCW, with the difference being that it wouldn't just be Reigns (Hogan) being the #1 guy. That, and you would just keep The Shield to 3 members.

Another tidbit - under this scenario, keep the Shield as tweeners as to avoid The Shield being forced to 'suck up' to the crowd even if the crowd turns on them.

[Ruien]

Rollins is the next mega superstar in the WWE. Reigns could be his bodyguard but that is about it.

[Heyman]

Rollins is the next mega superstar in the WWE. Reigns could be his bodyguard but that is about it.

I haven't watched WWE programming in years, but is Rollins getting similar pops to what Cena was getting circa 2004? Do you see Rollins, by himself, being as big as Cena?

If not, then I could see a re-united Shield being extremely beneficial for Rollins. Rollins could still be a mega-star, but would have The Shield gimmick to ensure that he stays 'over' big time.

[#1-norm-fan]

No. Reigns was the only one who seemed to have megastar potential but he failed. The three of them together can be a great feature act but without a new megastar to draw attention for them, they'd be fucked as far as being a "cash cow". I still feel like Ambrose is the one with the charisma to potentially get crazy over but there's something missing.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

No both the other two have surpassed Roman Drains and would have to make a U-Turn and pick his ass up.

2/3s of the Shield are over and fan favorites.

Good enough.

Just like Dean Ambrose's theme song says at the start

vroooooooooooooooooooooooooom!

[BigCrippyZ]

No. Reigns was the only one who seemed to have megastar potential but he failed. The three of them together can be a great feature act but without a new megastar to draw attention for them, they'd be fucked as far as being a "cash cow". I still feel like Ambrose is the one with the charisma to potentially get crazy over but there's something missing.

Scripted limitations and the product itself are what's hurting him.

[#1-norm-fan]

Probably

[#1-norm-fan]

I don't think the other two have potential to be megastars even with great writing though. They just don't have the personality that appeals much to anyone outside hardcore wrestling fans or, in Roman's case, anyone.

[BigCrippyZ]

That, and I think he's not Stone Cold, in that he'd rather keep his job because there's no where else to go and so he has no incentive to push his luck with Vince.

[BigCrippyZ]

I don't think the other two have potential to be megastars even with great writing though. They just don't have the personality that appeals much to anyone outside hardcore wrestling fans or, in Roman's case, anyone.

Used to feel that way about Seth. Now I think he's mainly floundering because of the writing and sameness of everything with the product.

[#1-norm-fan]

I don't know. I don't see it. Even if we're fantasy booking and everything is perfect, he's not a guy who could bring in a new "boom".

Johnny "Fandango" Curtis on the other hand...

[#1-norm-fan]

That motherfucker has EVERYTHING.

[The CyNick]

I like the concept, but might be tough with the brand extension. I can see how you would have The Shield help each other on joint PPVs, but then Ambrose is on his own on SDL.

I think Roman is still tracking to be Cena's heir apparent. From what I hear when I watch he gets the biggest reaction on the roster next to Cena. But it's that mixed reaction of cheers from kids and girls and massive boos from the smarky dudes.

Some people see that as a problem. Personally, I don't care what reaction he gets, as long as people are showing they care. In That regard he has guys like Rollins and Ambrose beat.

I don't think WWE needs one guy to carry the company. Sure it's nice to have a Cena or a Triple H, or even better a Rock or Austin. More and more the company is built around the WWE logo as the top star vs any one talent. As a business, it's better that the brand itself is the star, and the stars are interchangeable. In the old days you needed a guy on top to sell PPVs, now it's more about WWE providing enough entertaining content to drive up network subs. Something they are doing very well at right now. So I dont see any reason to change course.

[#1-norm-fan]

Dun do it guys....

Dun go it...

[Emperor Smeat]

Going to say no mostly because of the brand split complicating things and they don't really need to regroup considering they are already WWE's "cash cows" in terms of main focus.

Rollins and Reigns have hogged up the most spotlight for RAW's Universal title scene while the same with Ambrose for the WWE title scene.

None of them being seen as the real heir to Cena is more due to WWE's poor handling of transitioning to a new era while Cena is around. Every major era in WWE history only really started after the main star of the previous era left and Cena doesn't have any intention of leaving any time soon if recent interviews are any indication.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Dun do it guys....

Dun go it...

Hahaha, literally skipped over the CyNick post.

[#1-norm-fan]

Thatta Noid

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think The Shield being put back together would be a step forward for all three. The basic premise of the failures of The Shield are true. Seth Rollins got the belt and was booked horrendously, was an anti-draw, and instead of returning as some sort of bad-ass looking to prove how good he really is, they forced him into a heel role and then did a soft turn. No one cares now.

Rollins has something of a Jeff Hardy charisma to him, in a more restrained sense. He's got that "long hair, don't care" dive off things vibe. While I like the content of some of his promos, getting him to do monologues is a bad idea. I don't think Seth's ability is what holds him back, as opposed to how the company tries to square-peg him into a round hole. But Seth has displayed zero top star presence in his role and has basically been working like a mid-carder happy to have the spot instead of nixing shitty ideas, refusing to suck up to Triple H even though he was the champion and going along with the same sort of stuff that a top star personality would never do, because they understand how it is death. I do think that "top star mentality" is a thing, and that guys need to be accountable for not having it. Seth doesn't have it.

Roman doesn't have it either. The Royal Rumble where he asked to be helped to the back during the match was proof that he doesn't get how to be a babyface yet. He's been throwing himself into all his matches, but he still brings zero charisma out during his "entertainment" segments. Seriously, have the WWE tried to push anyone with worse mic skills to the forefront? I liked the idea, in theory, of putting the US Title on him and that being his little niche to be a champion for the kids away from the World Title, but it was like a vacuum in there when he beat Rusev. The dude not over in the slightest. At least Cena was eliciting responses out of people. Cena had the benefit of going first too. People see the long game with Reigns and it disengages them.

Dean Ambrose is a hard one, because while I used to think he had the charisma and presence to be a top guy, since Mania he has flopped hard. We live in an era where kayfabe is treated like its dead, but I think that the way guys are booked, when they are pushed, how they are pushed, etc. is still very important. I feel they missed the window with Ambrose. I think they could try again with him as a heel, but when he loses non-title matches and he's done, then that's that too then. He still hasn't evolved himself past his "2000 Hardcore Division" look, and Wishbone said it best in the "wrong roster" thread when he said that Ambrose being on SmackDown is like the trouble-maker being best friends with the principal.

Putting The Shield back together runs the risk of instantly sucking. They could do them as the semi-Shield, with their attire all still personalized, and trying to give them all the main event spotlight through the group. They could keep all the individual products out there and really make it look like DX circa 2006. Once they do that, all value in these guys is gone. It really feels like they are humming along based on the fact that a commentator can scream "remember when they were in The Shield!". If The Shield becomes a dead issue, then they won't even have that.

Oh, and it can't be the replacement for John Cena. What it can be is a hot angle. It can be the impetus for a six-man tag division featuring the likes of The Wyatt Family and The New Day. It can provide fun television main events and a guaranteed stamp of something exciting happening. It can be a definite position to the WWE in a way that the three guys currently aren't.

[The CyNick]

I think The Shield being put back together would be a step forward for all three. The basic premise of the failures of The Shield are true. Seth Rollins got the belt and was booked horrendously, was an anti-draw, and instead of returning as some sort of bad-ass looking to prove how good he really is, they forced him into a heel role and then did a soft turn. No one cares now.

Rollins has something of a Jeff Hardy charisma to him, in a more restrained sense. He's got that "long hair, don't care" dive off things vibe. While I like the content of some of his promos, getting him to do monologues is a bad idea. I don't think Seth's ability is what holds him back, as opposed to how the company tries to square-peg him into a round hole. But Seth has displayed zero top star presence in his role and has basically been working like a mid-carder happy to have the spot instead of nixing shitty ideas, refusing to suck up to Triple H even though he was the champion and going along with the same sort of stuff that a top star personality would never do, because they understand how it is death. I do think that "top star mentality" is a thing, and that guys need to be accountable for not having it. Seth doesn't have it.

Roman doesn't have it either. The Royal Rumble where he asked to be helped to the back during the match was proof that he doesn't get how to be a babyface yet. He's been throwing himself into all his matches, but he still brings zero charisma out during his "entertainment" segments. Seriously, have the WWE tried to push anyone with worse mic skills to the forefront? I liked the idea, in theory, of putting the US Title on him and that being his little niche to be a champion for the kids away from the World Title, but it was like a vacuum in there when he beat Rusev. The dude not over in the slightest. At least Cena was eliciting responses out of people. Cena had the benefit of going first too. People see the long game with Reigns and it disengages them.

Dean Ambrose is a hard one, because while I used to think he had the charisma and presence to be a top guy, since Mania he has flopped hard. We live in an era where kayfabe is treated like its dead, but I think that the way guys are booked, when they are pushed, how they are pushed, etc. is still very important. I feel they missed the window with Ambrose. I think they could try again with him as a heel, but when he loses non-title matches and he's done, then that's that too then. He still hasn't evolved himself past his "2000 Hardcore Division" look, and Wishbone said it best in the "wrong roster" thread when he said that Ambrose being on SmackDown is like the trouble-maker being best friends with the principal.

Putting The Shield back together runs the risk of instantly sucking. They could do them as the semi-Shield, with their attire all still personalized, and trying to give them all the main event spotlight through the group. They could keep all the individual products out there and really make it look like DX circa 2006. Once they do that, all value in these guys is gone. It really feels like they are humming along based on the fact that a commentator can scream "remember when they were in The Shield!". If The Shield becomes a dead issue, then they won't even have that.

Oh, and it can't be the replacement for John Cena. What it can be is a hot angle. It can be the impetus for a six-man tag division featuring the likes of The Wyatt Family and The New Day. It can provide fun television main events and a guaranteed stamp of something exciting happening. It can be a definite position to the WWE in a way that the three guys currently aren't.

Don't know if it's fair to call Rollins an anti draw as he was never really the true #1 guy. He was in the middle of an angle that would have had a pay off of helping to elevate him to the next level, but his body gave way and changes had to be made. Beyond that, when he was in a key position, network subs went up, which is the key metric in the company. As for his return, it's tough to make him the focal point when he's coming off a major injury. WWE has been burned by putting time and money into pushing guys whose bodies give out on them. That said, I also think they have a long term plan to move Rollins to the next level, but the storyline needs to play out. I agree with you Noid that guys should be responsible for their position on the card, and not always blame management.

I would disagree with Reigns. Granted I haven't had a chance to watch HIAC yet, but most RAWs I see he gets by far the biggest reaction of the night. So he's doing something right. A lot of people are stuck in a previous era and don't get the Reigns thing. Even though it's the exact same formula they used with Cena. Don't know if Reigns ever gets to Cena's level (that's up to Roman), but the formula is a successful one. Let the virgin smarks boo Cena while they pay thousands of dollars to sit front row at Mania with their cute little signs. Meanwhile the real fans with their kids have dropped $75 on Cena merch. But yeah they should really be concerned about a few guys on message boards saying I don't care for this guy.

With Ambrose, I just think he comes off as someone who doesn't care in an environment where the real top guys and management are dead serious about this business. The way he let Austin punk him on live TV says all you need to know. I think he's going to be a good hand for as long as he wants to be in the company, but he's not #1 material.

Seems like a reunion is a bit of a retread and for a real top guy like Reigns seems like a step back. But it could also be fun TV.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Crowd cared more about Rollins and Reigns interacting than almost anything else on RAW this week, it seemed to me.

[Poit]

I'd like to see a Shield reunion as a one-night thing to get a big pop from the crowd during a mixed-brand show.

In my head, I imagine John Cena confronting all four members of the Club, and the Shield joins him to even the odds.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Dean Ambrose will be on the other side to Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at Survivor Series, it seems. I wonder how that will go.

[Heyman]

Crowd cared more about Rollins and Reigns interacting than almost anything else on RAW this week, it seemed to me.

Which to me, supports the notion that the WWE should re-unite The Shield.....and for good this time.

-Find a way for Smackdown to trade Ambrose back to RAW before Mania.
-At Wrestlemania, have one of Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns go up against Brock Lesnar in the main-event.
-During the match, the other two members of The Shield interfere and help Reigns/Rollins destroy Lesnar.

Doing this would likely make The Shield heel or tweener (guage the crowd on RAW the next night), but over the long term, if they are pushed right, the fans will flat out cheer them as faces.

The thing for me is this: The WWE literally has no one right now to fill the shoes of Cena. Yes, Cena is still around, but it's in a part-time capacity now. There is no other 'one guy' right now capable of drawing......or bringing in WWE Network subscriptions (if that's the new standard-bearer metric).

The Shield, in its entirety, is the only thing capable.

[Heyman]

I like the concept, but might be tough with the brand extension. I can see how you would have The Shield help each other on joint PPVs, but then Ambrose is on his own on SDL.

I think Roman is still tracking to be Cena's heir apparent. From what I hear when I watch he gets the biggest reaction on the roster next to Cena. But it's that mixed reaction of cheers from kids and girls and massive boos from the smarky dudes.

Some people see that as a problem. Personally, I don't care what reaction he gets, as long as people are showing they care. In That regard he has guys like Rollins and Ambrose beat.

I don't think WWE needs one guy to carry the company. Sure it's nice to have a Cena or a Triple H, or even better a Rock or Austin. More and more the company is built around the WWE logo as the top star vs any one talent. As a business, it's better that the brand itself is the star, and the stars are interchangeable. In the old days you needed a guy on top to sell PPVs, now it's more about WWE providing enough entertaining content to drive up network subs. Something they are doing very well at right now. So I dont see any reason to change course.

Good response as usual.

p.s.______________CyNick, check your PM box. Or better yet, check out the following thread (http://www.tpwwforums.com/showthread.php?t=132386)

There's a guy on here, who like you, never gets defeated in a debate (lol). His name is El Capitano Gatisto; the king of the Political Discussion Forum.

I think it would be interesting if you guys debated on something (A political issue perhaps). If I understand correctly, he leans a little towards the left while you lean towards the right.

Hopefully, you're interested.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Heyman, you and CyNick are clearly the same person if you think he never gets defeated in a debate. I've never seen him win one.

As for The Shield, you're going to need guys for them to go against. Heel New Day might work, but the fans do not seen New Day on the same level as The Shield due to all the comedy bullshit and the fact that they never really interact with main eventers unless it is to get their ass kicked. Bray Wyatt is also sort of becoming a joke. I think he is more salvageable if they get some sort of real Wyatt Family back together. Wyatt, Harper & Rowan would work, but maybe there is someone they could get besides Rowan who would work as a partner to them and increase the quality of the matches even more so?

I don't know when I'd actually split The New Day up (or even if I would should a proper opportunity for them to work against The Shield arise), but I'd be earmarking Big E as a guy who could be a major player for the company in the future. He'd be my choice to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania next year. It doesn't mean much, but I'd start dropping the idea into fans' minds that he means more than just a tag guy.

AJ Styles is a guy who I see a lot of value in. He's my John Cena opponent at WrestleMania next year. I don't know if he's the sort of guy you really bank on long-term to carry your company, given his age and such, but he's the best all-round performer they have had since Shawn Michaels.

I see big things for Rusev too. He'd be the guy I put over Undertaker at WrestleMania next year. This puts him on a collision course with Brock Lesnar, so I use 2017 as a gauge to see whether or not Rusev is the guy you eventually use to put down The Beast. I also try to get Bobby Lashley back from TNA, as I think he'd have grown leaps and bounds by now and could actually be something of a special attraction himself. I don't think I'd put Lashley over Brock at Mania, but I think you could build to a SummerSlam win for Lashley in a rematch or something.

There are a few guys who can all grab a corner and try to carry the company. I don't know who really has that crossover star potential though. That's why I just corner those guys and try my best to protect them and make them seem like big deals that will be going places and see what emerges. Roman Reigns would also be a heel if I had to use him as a singles guy. Rollins and Ambrose would make great mid-card players/occasional main event challengers. But now that they are former World Champions, I don't really know what you do with them. Maybe with a unified roster down the track, people won't subconsciously hold them being former champs against them.

Just a stream of consciousness there. The guys I actually have the biggest long-term hopes for on the roster are Big E, Rusev and, honestly, probably American Alpha if we're talking a long way off. Styles, Joe, Heel Balor, etc. are probably stop-gap guys to bring quality out now and try and get that next generation over in the ring once you use established guys to make them. I think we'll hopefully get a very short bridging era with guys like Styles and Joe going over Cena and then being used to make newer guys.

[Heyman]

hopefully get a very short bridging era with guys like Styles and Joe going over Cena and then being used to make newer guys.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind this at all as well.

Unfortunately, I haven't watched WWE programming in years as to know what kind of reactions Styles/Joe are getting, but from what I know, this does seem like it would be a decent idea.

I'm still of the opinion that a re-united Shield would help all 3 members as opposed to hurting them.

The main opponent of The Shield would be guys like Brock Lesnar, Wyatt Family, and pretty much any other guy being threatened to lose their main-event status (i.e. Cena, Balor, Owens, etc.). That's how I would do things.

p.s.______________And sorry Noid - you know I love you and everything as we go way back, but CyNick pretty much destroys everyone on here in debates. :p I think a CyNick vs. El Capitano Gatisto debate in something political-related would be epic.

[Mr. Nerfect]

As I said, I've never seen him actually respond logically to someone when challenged once. Dude would be thrown out of a genuine debate.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I've seen him spanked by #1-wwf-fan, Destor, BigCrippyZ, Vito, hb2k and I'm fairly certain CSL earlier this year.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

I like to think I spanked him once or twice myself. Jeeze Noid :roll: ;)

Anyways, I think you take away a lot of the negativity towards Reigns if you hook him back up with his Shield Homies but treat all 3 as big stars, not Roman and the 2 other guys.

[Theo Dious]

I've already said that the Shield should become a cross-brand guerilla group and fuck shit up on both shows.

[Heyman]

I think you take away a lot of the negativity towards Reigns if you hook him back up with his Shield Homies but treat all 3 as big stars, not Roman and the 2 other guys.



Exactly. I wouldn't want it any other way. The idea behind this is that it would keep Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose as main-event champions (taking turns over a period of time), while having "The Shield brand" to keep them way over.

My thinking is that while none of Reigns, Rollins, or Ambrose are worthy of being the legit 'heir apparent' to Cena, The Shield, in its entirety, would be worth of being the legit 'heir apparent' to Cena.

[Heyman]

I've already said that the Shield should become a cross-brand guerilla group and fuck shit up on both shows.

Yep, I'd be down for this as well.

I'm not sure as to who's on what show, but if there are different Wyatt family members on different shows, then a potential Shield/Wyatt family rivalry can extend to both shows as well.

[The CyNick]

I've seen him spanked by #1-wwf-fan, Destor, BigCrippyZ, Vito, hb2k and I'm fairly certain CSL earlier this year.

Unless those guys call their penises The CyNick, they have never spanked The CyNick.

The problem here is a few of you guys are sorta brainwashed into a line of thinking, and when you get challenged you just scoff. Or you bring up "facts" from fake reporters who don't actually report.

Most of the debates on here are the equivalent of me saying "the US government is not run by Lizard People" then you guys go "OMG this guy doesn't think the US govt is run by Lizard People,", and quote a story and picture from the National Enquire.

Meanwhile I have evidence from public financial records from a public company to back up my claims. My favorite debate of last year was the walking dead one where an unnamed poster claimed ratings were constantly going up. I actually posted week by week ratings, showing a YoY decline. And somehow the unwashed masses thought I was "spanked". It's really comical to me. Still love you guys though.

[The CyNick]

Exactly. I wouldn't want it any other way. The idea behind this is that it would keep Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose as main-event champions (taking turns over a period of time), while having "The Shield brand" to keep them way over.

My thinking is that while none of Reigns, Rollins, or Ambrose are worthy of being the legit 'heir apparent' to Cena, The Shield, in its entirety, would be worth of being the legit 'heir apparent' to Cena.

Who knows, you might be a psychic, because they certainly teased 2/3 of a Shield reunion on RAW.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I like to think I spanked him once or twice myself. Jeeze Noid :roll: ;)

Anyways, I think you take away a lot of the negativity towards Reigns if you hook him back up with his Shield Homies but treat all 3 as big stars, not Roman and the 2 other guys.

My bad. The list just goes on and on. It's not because you're any less special.

But the dude surrounds himself with so many straw-men, it is easy to light him up.