WWE 2016 Rumors: The Shield Reuniting at Royal Rumble 2017?
A few years ago, one of WWE's prized factions broke up. The Shield, a sort-of revolutionary entity, became a dominant force in the ring, plowing through the likes of Triple H, Randy Orton and the Undertaker. They were mostly branded as heels throughout their run, but the WWE Universe enjoyed their presence.
That all changed when Vince McMahon decided these men need an individual push. They have been chasing and winning championships ever since, albeit facing different adversities. With their storylines beginning to align once again, however, it looks like the Hounds of Justice are being built up for a reunion.
The breakup
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There have been plenty of stables in the WWE—superstars banding together to form a superteam—and some of them have become icons in sports entertainment history. The Evolution, for example, featured Triple H, Randy Orton, Ric Flair and Batista, and were once the most villainous and ambitious superstars in the ring.
Triple H also became part of an even more popular faction, D-Generation X. He teamed up with Shawn Michaels, X-Pac, the New Age Outlaws and Chyna. A more recent one is the Wyatt Family, led by the crazy Bray Wyatt and comprised of Erick Rowan, Luke Harper and Braun Strowman.
As far as stables go, however, the Shield was one of the most successful, and was definitely a fan favorite. At one point, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins held the WWE Tag Team Championship, while Dean Ambrose wore the United States belt as well.
Their run ended when the Rollins kayfabe split from the group, in the middle of their feud with Evolution. Triple H revealed their "Plan B," which turned out to be Rollins hitting his teammates with a chair and joining the opposing stable himself.
The reunion (?)
Since the breakup, all three stars had been successful to an extent on their own. Reigns and Rollins both held the World Heavyweight Championship, and Rollins and Ambrose held the WWE Championship—all on separate occasions.
However, they have encountered numerous issues as individual superstars. Reigns was rebuked by the WWE Universe, getting a supposedly undeserved babyface push from Vince McMahon. Seth Rollins had injured a lot of his opponents with an unhealthy moveset. Even the most well-liked Shield member, Ambrose, did not have a satisfying babyface run, soon giving up his title to AJ Styles at Backlash 2016.
A reunion for the three would be a refreshing angle for their characters, making them talk less and work more on dismantling WWE's competitive roster. In fact, the plan may reportedly take place at Royal Rumble 2017, or Wrestlemania 33. It could either be a match pitting them against each other, or a return to their roots at the end of Rumble.
