10 Ways CM Punk Changed WWE FOREVER
5. He Created The Shield
Well, two-thirds of it, anyway.
According to Punk himself, as the creative team was planning his late-2012 heel turn, they wanted to pair him with somebody who would garner him more heat. After one writer suggested that he form a stable with Big Show, Daniel Bryan, and "a guy from FCW," Punk rebutted by asking why they don't just call up three guys from FCW instead.
Punk managed to get Vince McMahon and Triple H on board with the idea, and his three suggested stable-mates were Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Kassius Ohno. As the story goes, Triple H was uninterested in Ohno as a member of the group, so he proposed Roman Reigns instead. Though Punk agreed to this, the stable (now called "The Shield" on the main roster) was only vaguely associated with him in the nascence of their run.
Despite not really working under Punk, The Shield had an extraordinary run together. And unlike many teams of yesteryear, all three members have enjoyed considerable success on their own, with each man having at least one WWE World Championship to their name. Rollins and Reigns both remain top guys for the company, while Ambrose is currently a major player in both NJPW and AEW.
Thank goodness CM Punk shot down the "Big Show, Daniel Bryan, and FCW Guy" idea, because lord knows where these men would be if he hadn't.