3. The Shield Are Being Treated The Way The Nexus Should Have Been
Immediately I will point out that I'm currently not a huge fan of the Shield. I don't understand their direction or actions besides the business they have done with Paul Heyman, and the argument that they are working for justice is getting quite tired already. The constant sneak attacks on the babyfaces of the WWE is a method that has been seen too many times before, but it must be said that the emergence of a faction of young, hungry superstars is something that has been desired by members of the IWC since the failure of the Nexus. And despite the shortcomings in the their background and history, you cannot deny that the creative team has some big plans for this group. In only their second official match as a unit following their victory at TLC 2012, the Shield had to face an imposing trio of Ryback, Sheamus and Wrestlemania-bound John Cena. Following the Shield's constant assaults their adversaries, there was an argument that the experienced superstars would take their revenge against the rogue upstarts. The match took a fairly standard course, with Sheamus and then Cena hitting their biggest moves on the Shield before the numbers game got the better of the established individuals. Then Ryback got the tag, and all hell broke loose. His impressive arsenal of clothesines and powerslams brought the Shield down, and action spread to the outside, when Sheamus was sent through the barricade by the forceful Roman Reigns. When the camera returned to action within the ring, Cena was able to connect with the Attitude Adjustment to Dean Ambrose, and Ryback was marching Seth Rollins around the ring in anticipation of Shell Shocked. But before he could connect, Reigns again connected with a spear, which sent Rollins crashing onto a downed Ryback and delivering victory for the Shield and a rare pinfall defeat for Ryback. The victory was not entirely unexpected, but the finish was remarkably clean and the pinfall on Ryback was certainly not a consideration in most fans minds. The manner in which Ryback has been pushed since his re-debut last year, it will be interesting how he reacts to this defeat. Nevertheless, the night belonged to the Shield, who were able to cause an upset and display a strength in numbers mentality amongst their faction. This is what the WWE should have done with the Nexus at Summerslam 2010 when they were defeated by a team of WWE veterans, and it is encouraging to see that they have learnt that the best way to assert young talent on the audience is through making them appear as a legitimate threat to the established status quo. Hopefully the members of the Shield will have long and prosperous careers in the WWE, and we will learn more about the genuine foundations of the group on the Road to Wrestlemania.