10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About The Shield
3. Roman Wasn't Supposed To Be Involved
Roman Reigns has emerged from The Shield's wreckage as WWE's strongest pushed star. Even when not directly competing for a World Title, 'The Big Dog' is presented as 'The Guy.' Nobody is more protected, nobody is made to look stronger, and while the "shoved down our throats" argument tends to be exaggerated, Vince McMahon clearly sees him as the face of the company.
Push-wise, he gained more from the split than anyone else, but this may not have been the case had WWE gone with the trio's original blueprint. It was NXT's Kassius Ohno, not Reigns, who was originally set to join The Shield - according to CM Punk on Colt Cabana's 'Art Of Wrestling' podcast.
Vince McMahon and Triple H shot the idea down, but it's interesting to think about. Ohno is one of the most underrated wrestlers on the planet, as proven by his recent indie run, but it's clear the company have no interest in pushing him. Still, Ohno would've surely gotten over in WWE's greatest modern stable, and he's certainly talented enough to succeed as a pushed commodity.
Would he have been as successful as Reigns? Probably not, but it's hard to see him not becoming a star.