Tagged: The Shield
Moanin’ ’bout Roman
With or without your support, imma be here – believe that.
Quite commonly refered to as the “Roman Reigns Problem” the fact of the matter is, here is a man who spent all of about a month or so in NXT before becoming a part of the most influential faction in pro-wrestling in the past 15 years.
He’s the juggernaut that don’t really say much, but when he does he’s absolutely berated for it.
And of course, people are trying to draw parallels between him and John Cena which is out-and-out foolish.
So, the comparison to Cena is drawn because he is apparently being shoved down our throats, and has a “limited” move set. It is as far as the comparison can go really, as yes – it is notable that he relies on a set of moves which drive him to victory after victory, similar to Cena. But again, this is where the comparison dies.
Cena has the look of an all american boy (sorry for treading on you there, Swaggs) who has worked to be where he is and appeals to “all walks of life”. Reigns has the look of a renegade. Probably not the best adjective but hey. He has the look of a man who will do what he wants, when he wants. Essentially, he was in the perfect role when a part of the shield, literally shielded by his stable-mates as they did the mic work and super flashy spots, whereas he provided that raw animalistic element – that killer instinct, that – FINISH IT (more apologies here – Big Guy) kinda dude.
Cena stepped in at a time where we were just watching the dust settle on what is always heralded as the “greatest period” in wrestling (you know which one I’m talking about, if not, you should probably stop reading now.) so therefore was fresh in the sense of “hey, here’s someone new, let’s see what this kid can do”.
Low and behold, a star was born.
I make it sound so cut and dry but that is essentially what happened. granted there was of course SOME micro-management going on regarding his promo material and general direction of where they were going with Mr. Cena. But hey, they at least knew where they wanted to go with Cena.
Herein lies the issue.
If you were to describe Roman Reigns’ character, where would you begin?
As edge once said during his feud with John Cena, It’s called character development.
comparatively let’s look at his former stable mates:
Seth Rollins is the current holder of the Money In The Bank briefcase holder, has successfully aligned himself with The Authority and in recent internet articles been compared to as the 21st century WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Micheals.
Dean Ambrose is a loose cannon, has had a very well stated feud with the modern-day phenom (coined it folks) Bray Wyatt and prior to this feud, served as one of the longest reigning US Champions in history (if stats are your thing).
Roman Reigns is that guy from The Shield, demolished Kane’s Royal Rumble Elimination record and generally speared the hell outta anything that moves. Kinda like a Goldberg/ Rock (you knew it had to appear at some point) Hybrid with long hair.
So the “problem” with Reigns is not that he “can’t cut a promo”, or that he has “five moves of doom” but the fact that Roman Reigns is essentially everyman.
Look at any of the greats in the business and look at their starting points. From the rocker, to Stunning Steve to Rocky Maivia to Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Everybody started somewhere and evolved from there. The issue here is not simply over managing his promos (believe me, that is definitely an issue, not only with Roman) but rather not being able to answer the question:
Who Is Roman Reigns?
And until we’re given that, we’re stuck with whatever bounces around the creative table and comes off as flavour of the week let alone month.
So in conclusion:
Will the real Roman Reigns, please stand up.
The NXT bubble
The Future: Welcome to the WWE oven where they bake the bread winners of tomorrow...today!
As you know, The WWE are sports-entertainment’s juggernauts, providing hours and hours of live programming via your local cable sports channels (or in the case of smackdown, Syfy) as well as a insurmountable back catalogue of old promotions such as the infamous Dubya see dubya and of course, E See Dub.
Present day WWE has become to wrestling industry what Simon Cowell is to the music industry. Occasionally it will provide genuinely entertaining acts but by and large it is just a money making business above all else.
Come to think of it it’s odd that they haven’t sourced Mr. Cowell to be a guest host.
The genuine article when it comes to pure wrestling and minimal storytelling via promo comes in the form of NXT. There have been a few success stories from the camp, the biggest ones of course being the Wyatt family and the shield.
But then there are those who developed a big fish small pond complex and when entering the ocean that is the main roster, have become lost in the shuffle.
Big E is one such victim. He stormed in as the muscle behind the showoff Dolph Ziggler and later AJ Lee. Now he’s toting the American flag and slowly becoming Pastor E with each promo as he battles in (a losing effort) the ever present threat of the Russian empathizer, Bulgarian Brute Alexander Rusev.
Then there is the wonder from down under, Emma.
She unfortunately has suffered the same fate as many before her: she’s a diva that can actually wrestle.
This leaves an already small class even smaller as WWE tries to tap every vein of social media possible as well as any currently popular show format too. Is it too far fetched to envision a WWE sitcom? Smark answer would be yes given current lack of in depth storylines.
Then there is the (now ex) WWE Divas Champion Paige. She has fallen victim to not only a lack of any direction in her day to day defences of the title, but was subjected to the same treatment that won her the gold (or should it be glitter?) In the first place.
So with a bevy of talent waiting to come up, how will the E proceed from here?
Chances are they’ll stick to what has been getting them paid in recent years, with the ocassional splashing of cash to get a true legend back for one last match.
(The Rock has a rematch clause for the title…just saying.)
With that said: let’s have a moment of silence for Zack Ryder’s career…
Elimination Chamber: The Shield Vs The Wyatts
When the dark smoke met the dark fire, there was only the villagers to blame… Wyatt-esque quotes aside, this is gonna steal the show.
This event can often be overlooked as it is the final stop before the big one, Wrestlemania.
But this year has just stepped up in terms of must see with a big 6 man tag match announced. Arguably the two biggest success stories from NXT (That’s no disrespect to you Big E, you’re well on your way) are set to lock horns officially for the first time.
Sizing up each Trio, it’s difficult to call an outright winner here. Let’s look at The Shield first.
Their rap sheet is more than impressive when it comes to their outings as a unit. They’ve defeated various triages of the top flight WWE has to offer, combinations including Big Show, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, The Usos to name a few.
The in-ring psychological presence of The Shield is quite unnerving. They move in silence and stare at their opponents like prey. Their attack pattern is varied and each member is always seemingly in sync with one another.
The muscle of the group is the steel eyed beast called Roman Reigns. His recent record breaking performance in the Royal Rumble saw him beat the 13 year record held by Kane, for eliminating 11 people.
The fact he made it to the final 2 is signal enough of how dominant he is.
Rollins holds his own in the ring and put on spectacular matches with Daniel Bryan last year during a few episodes of Raw.
And the United States champion, Dean Ambrose is certainly from a gold perspective, the strongest of the group. This becomes debatable when you factor in how many times he’s defended it.
The Wyatt Family
The leader Bray Wyatt, with one solo PPV showing at the Royal Rumble, has shown he is definitely the real deal and not just the leader of a cult.
Whoever sister Abigail was she taught brother Bray well. Hard to believe he is the real-life brother of current NXT Champion Bo Dallas.
Luke Harper is definitely cut from a different mould. His wild and weathered appearance is enough to scare most opponents. But a recent square off against the Shield has shown neither side are afraid by the other’s appearance.
Eric Rowan is the man in the mask. His in ring prowess is limited in terms of super flashy moves. Eric Rowan is a throwback to the days of Hogan and Ultimate Warrior almost. He’s slow moving but methodical.
every move is designed to hurt.
So who will win in this encounter?
If it’s a one fall to the finish match, it’s close to call but The Shield could edge it.
If the match is an elimination tag then it’s thrown wide open. But the slight edge could go to the Wyatts if they can take down the powerhouse Reigns. And that is a big if.
So this match could go either way but the fact remains, this one is gonna steal the show.
Where’s Punk?
"I'm going home..." - infamous last words?
So it’s been nearly 2 weeks since the disappearing act of the best in the world. CM Punk allegedly has taken his ball and gone home, leaving the WWE Universe high and dry with just a simple message on Twitter telling us we’re awesome and to keep doing what we’re doing.
He’s not been mentioned on Tv since and the fans are torn as to whether to chant for him or Daniel Bryan who is also being shunned by the machine. There are all sorts of reasons being cited, the most popular ones being that he is frusrated by his character direction and being pushed as the company #2.
Others are speculating it could be a huge work, giving the angle between him and the authority a new twist.
Having the opportunity to witness the promo that changed the landscape back in 2011 AKA The Summer of Punk, and being a believer in his work ethic and lifestyle choice, I must say that it’s not impossible to factor that in.
Imagine CM Punk’s departure started a movement. Mid carders start departing until one week on Raw out comes a visibly upset HHH. He goes on a rant stating how the authority doesn’t need those superstars and that the WWE would thrive without them.
As Triple H continues the roster empties out onto the stage to listen to their fate for the evening. Then from various corners of the crowd comes the defectors, surrounding the ring until…
…CM’s music hits.
The place goes wild and HHH is livid. He screams at the shield to attack and they stand still at first, calculating the risk. Then a potential all out brawl could ensue before all but two people remain, with everyone being tossed aside.
As HHH and Punk stare each other down…Vince’s music hits. He comes to announce the match for supremacy between punk and HHH at Wrestlemania XXX.
And the conclusion of the match sees the introduction of the man called Sting…
Or you know, not. A guy can dream right?
Don’t Stop Believing: The Shield
The wrestling world became alive with chatter about the trio of outlaws dealing out their own brand of justice in WWE.
Ambrose. Rollins. Reigns.
Each having their own individual styles of wrestling and most certainly indy circuit darlings who have over their year plus mainstay in WWE have DOMINATED.
If you look at the win loss column they’re certainly would appear slightly human in some respects…but hey when you’re fed to super Cena, unless you’re the G.O.A.T face killah (copywriting that…) Daniel Bryan, the outcome is more certain than rain on Xmas day in blighty.
Dean Ambrose has that look about him. Some have alikened him to the loose cannon Brian Pillman. Certainly the attitude is there and nostalgia always makes us compare. For the ladies he has that look that says I’m good tonight but tomorrow I’ve got amnesia.
His in-ring ability is mat based but technically sound with very few errors or wasted movements. To get a real sense of his mat game you should look up his pre WWE stuff. Amazing.
Seth Rollins is definitely The Shield’s all-rounder. His NXT record speaks for itself as he became the first ever champion down in full sail uni, Florida. The sheer energy he gave off from his intro and his lightning fast reflexes in the ring make him a joy to watch and even more difficult for opponents to scout.
And then there is Roman Reigns. What can be said about the muscle and silent hammer of the shield. He has the total package. Alas some would argue his mic work needs improvements but hey, not everyone can be CM Punk right?
The belief in the shield…and more specifically Roman is slowly building. And currently started to make cracks appear in the sheild. Even so, reigns is a relative of the Anoi family…their wrestling lineage is unparalleled:
The wild Samoans
Rikishi
Yokuzuna
The ROCK
…To name a few.
Big shoes to fill but he’ll spear his way to glory. Bank on that.
Who knows…Wrestlemania XXXV could have this super faction go up against DX in an ultimate nostalgia-fest…if shawn could be tempted back that is. If not there’s always WWE 2K14.
The future is here.
Now and always…
Believe in the shield.
Royal Rumble Winner will be…
Wrestlemania season has begun!
It is the build-up to the grandest stage of them all and the road starts here with the standout event:
The Royal Rumble.
With so many factions involved and new alliances recently made…the field is wide open. But who will win it? Here are my predictions:
Wild Card: Brodus Clay
The recent and public split of tons of funk has seen the funk-ass-sarus unleash his true aggressive potential in his matches. Brodus has the physical presence to dominate.
However, with the weight of main eventers and returning animals to the jungle, Brodus looks more like a hippo than a bear. Dangerous as he may be it is a wild card shot he could win.
Add in he now has the ire of R-Truth, Xavier Woods and Sweet T it’s a long long shot.
Wild card: Cody Rhodes
Unless the tag team championship is to be defended against the real Americans, the Rhodes brothers will certainly be in the rumble.
Cody has been long considered the next in line for the main event scene and was almost there had he not been thwarted by former tag partner Damien Sandow at money in the bank.
Could Cody win the big one?
The Authority have publicly stated that they’re at peace with the Rhodes and all is well. You have to believe that if Cody came too close they’d intervene to stop him getting there.
Wild card: The Big Show
The Big Show is an outside shot to win but the fact is he did challenge for the championship when it was still a two tier mountain top.
His failure has to be eating him up a little and as much as it wouldn’t be a dream championship match he’s gotta be considered a threat based on previous rumbles and his size.
#5 Roman Reigns
The Shield’s muscle is definitely prepared to breakout this year and what better start than the royal rumble.
It’s doubtful that the big red monster will be involved so look for Reigns to take the torch and record for most eliminations this year.
The only reason he’s not higher up is because of the sheer power wafting around in the universe right now. Including current nemesis…
#4 CM Punk
The best in the world has made it clear he wants back into the WWE world championship scene. And lets face it he has the tools to do so.
But even with the 434 day reign in his credentials, the rumble always creates strange alliances. CM Punk is currently a lone wolf.
The Shield are gunning for him as a unit, add to that 26 others trying to reach the mountain top, Punk has an uphill climb and may have to count on the luck of the draw.
Speaking of alliances…
#3 Daniel Bryan
The newest member of the Wyatt Family has been to the top before. And the Authority saw fit to destroy any glory he achieved.
Daniel has been beaten into submission and joined the family. But who knows what the G.O.A.T faced killah is really thinking.
Could this be a rouse to get back on top?
After all there is strength in numbers. And with the sheer size of Wyatt, Rowan and Harper he would certainly be well protected by these animals.
But could they collectively tackle the original animal…
#2 Batista
The animal has returned and is set to cause some devastation in WWE once again. It’s all to play for for the big man and anything can happen when he’s around.
Ironically his theme is “I walk alone” but this might not be the case this time around. With HHH sat in the driver’s seat of the company and former stable mate Randy holding the gold, could the animal just become a bodyguard?
And by winning the rumble the authority would be able to guarantee the outcome of their Wrestlemania main event and protect the face.
But there is one other who has returned and has simply stated he’s getting that belt…
#1 Brock Lesnar
The Beast incarnate is back and mouthpiece included, Paul Heyman.
The original Heyman guy is seemingly unstoppable and demonstrated that by annihilating the world’s strongest man on 2013s last edition of Raw.
Brock wants the title. Unless the authority have a particular affinity toward their champion, have Batista in their back pocket and set him loose on Brock, there really isn’t anything that will stop Brock from adding another title to his name:
2014 Royal Rumble winner.
You Still Got It! 