Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins likely would have made their way to the WWE's main roster eventually and all three probably would have been stars thanks to their unquestionable talent. Three completely different workers with completely different personalities, they mostly had the tools to succeed under the bright lights of Raw and SmackDown. Together as The Shield, however, they made an impact that, two years later, is still being felt. Immediately upon their debut they were thrust into high-profile storylines and into matches against top tier talent. They collected victories over the likes of John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Big Show, Kane, Daniel Bryan, Ryback and even the legendary Undertaker. Ambrose captured the United States Championship and Reigns and Rollins scored the WWE Tag Team titles. There was no Superstar more dominant in 2013 than the trio known affectionately as the Hounds of Justice. In early 2014, they underwent a subtle change, officially becoming babyfaces. They feuded with the New Age Outlaws and Kane leading into WrestleMania 30 and squashed those three competitors in just over two minutes at the Showcase of the Immortals. Now, they find themselves in a heated rivalry with Evolution that, if done correctly, can elevate the group to heights it never could have imagined. Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins are among the most popular stars in the industry and are major parts of the future of WWE. For now, they will help to carry the company to greatness as a trio and for fans of the product, that is most certainly a good thing.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
