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The Shield is one of the most popular WWE factions of all-time and their recent reunion has had the WWE Universe abuzz with nostalgic delight. Ever since debuting at Survivor Series back in 2012, the trio of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns ruled the roost for a year and a half.
So, what was it about these three men that captured the imagination of professional wrestling fans all over the world? How did they succeed where so many other groups - like The Nexus - before them had failed? Well, that's what we're here to find out today.
So, without any further ado, here is our list of five reasons why WWE fans love The Shield:
#5) They disbanded before they grew stale
One common problem among factions is that they tend to outstay their welcome. While it's awesome to see a group dominate proceedings, fans will soon turn on them if they start growing stale. That was never a problem for The Shield because of which they were broken up.
Seth Rollins betraying Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns just one and a half years into their run was perfect timing. It's clear that even today, three and a half years after they went their own ways, the fans still love The Shield because of the timing of that breakup.
#4) They were over as both faces and heels
When The Shield first debuted as mercenaries for CM Punk, they embraced the roles of heels to perfection. They played their parts and got themselves over through sheer hard work and talent. As they grew more popular, it was clear that they needed to turn face.
When they did become the good guys by going up against The Authority, "The Hounds of Justice" excelled in their newfound roles as fan favourites as well. No matter if they were to be villains or heroes, they always delivered the goods.
#3) They excelled in all aspects of wrestling
A lot of times, WWE superstars tend to fall flat because they aren't the complete package. There are people who are great on the mic but lack the required technical acumen while the opposite is true for others. The same was true of Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns individually, but when they were grouped together, they covered each others' weaknesses.
It was the perfect case of three very different men coming together to form one unstoppable stable.
#2) They were booked strongly
If you want to succeed in professional wrestling and in the WWE more specifically, then you need to be booked to look like a star. The WWE Universe is often filled with casual fans who consume the content that is presented to them and do not dig deeper into the business.
For The Shield to become popular with these sort of fans, they needed to be dominant - and that's exactly what they were as Vince McMahon, Triple H, and the rest of the WWE's backstage staff gave them the advantage of strong booking.
#1) They were cool
Leaving aside all the other reasons on this list, though, this one is the most important when it comes to getting over with casual professional wrestling fans: you need to be cool. And, that's exactly what The Shield were with their vests, entrances through the crowd, and no-nonsense attitude.
Everything about them just screamed "cool", and that did wonders for their image in front of the WWE Universe.
