10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About The Shield

6. The Many Failures Of Roman Reigns

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The debate over Roman Reigns' push as 'The Guy' is overdone, and rife with bad takes, but 'The Big Dog's' post-Shield history is filled with events that WWE would love to pretend didn't happen.

He cut a meme-worthy promo on a January 2015 episode of SmackDown, famously referring to Seth Rollins as a "snivelling little suck-up sellout full of sufferin' succotash, son." Reigns was then universally rejected as the 2015 Royal Rumble winner, with even The Rock unable to save him from the crowd's brutal, deafening jeers, and his WrestleMania 32 coronation went down much the same way.

At 'Mania 33, Roman had the "honour" of retiring The Undertaker - an outcome that infuriated his many detractors. Rusev, Daniel Bryan, Bray Wyatt, The League Of Nations: these are only the first few names on the list of stars sacrificed to get Roman over since The Shield's dissolution.

They aren't his fault, and he definitely gets far more hate than he deserves, but Reigns' crimes are many. WWE would love you to blindly cheer for him, but the audience's unwillingness to buy what they're selling became apparent a long time ago, and Roman's divisiveness continues.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.