10 Best WWE Matches Of 2019
7. The Shield Vs. Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley & Drew McIntyre - Fastlane
In which a profoundly uninteresting and thrown-together trio of heels - and a hastily-reformed Shield - delivered a total banger in a euphoric reminder of the trio's enduring popularity. If they weren't already considered as such, this solidified the Shield as legends.
Of course, it was euphoric because it marked Roman Reigns' improbable in-ring return, and he was outstanding in this match even without the outpouring of support. The familiar beats felt like a Greatest Hits tour: Rollins played the high-energy starter, Roman rebuffed the power of the hoss team, Ambrose played the frenetic brawler who risked his body from insane heights with the full trust of his brothers to pick him back up.
In an inspired and lovely touch, as the match roared into a higher gear, Ambrose and Rollins rocked Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre with stereo dives to cement their reconciliation, which led to the astonishing peak of the match: Roman's pulsating battle with Corbin, in which he meshed superbly with the powerful raw materials at his opponent's disposal. The agent work was equally great: this standoff featured the most over babyface and the most despised heel in a context that made best, most dramatic use of Baron Corbin.
The action around them tumbled to the outside, leading to a - sorry - vintage, crazed Rollins dive, a storm of destruction, and that enduring Shield encore: the bone-picking, multiple finisher blast.
WWE made you believe in the Shield just months after one of them shrugged at another's battle with a life-threatening illness.