4 reasons why Roman Reigns was the standout member of The Shield
Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins are today's top stars. They were also part of one of the greatest factions in WWE history. Together as The Shield, they picked up wins and championships and entered the history books.
Reigns, Ambrose & Rollins banded together at the end of 2012 to form a well-oiled machine that couldn't be stopped. Their chemistry and styles meshed well and created a team that went undefeated for a long time. They fought John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple H, and many other elite superstars at the time.
They often said that the team had no leader or standout member. However, fans begged to differ, picking their favorites and who they thought shone the most in The Shield.
On this list, we take a trip down memory lane and state four reasons why Roman Reigns was the standout member of The Shield:
#4. His looks and powerful style
WWE loves to push superstars who look the part. Over the years, the company has backed stars of this profile, whether Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, or John Cena.
When The Shield burst onto the scene, they were presented as credible threats. However, Roman stood out as someone WWE would place their bets on. Time has proven that thought right, with Reigns winning six world championships and accomplishing everything there is to accomplish in WWE.
The Big Dog's powerful style, cool look, and presentation saw fans declare him as the standout superstar of The Shield. He garnered a lot of fans during his time with the group and rode the momentum to the top.
#3. He was a man of few words
When The Shield surfaced, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose did most of the talking. On the other hand, Roman was a man who let his fists do the talking. When he did grab the mic, however, everyone listened.
This charismatic approach to Reigns' promos made him look like a badass and win the approval of the WWE Universe. While there's no doubt that Rollins and Ambrose are better talkers, WWE's approach toward The Enforcer's promo game made him the standout member of the group.
#2. The CM Punk feud crowned him as The Shield's best member
CM Punk is one of the few superstars who managed to get into The Shield's heads. He manipulated and made them argue with one question: who is the best member of The Shield?
Reigns, Ambrose, and Rollins' egos led to them clashing. Punk mocked Ambrose and ruled him out, leading to Rollins and Reigns arguing. Ultimately, The Architect went one-on-one with The Best in the World but was defeated. WWE then had The Big Dog beat Punk, making him the only member of The Shield to accomplish that feat.
The writing was on the wall in one feud, and the group's powerhouse was established as the best. It added further credibility to the argument of Roman being the standout member of the group.
#1. He was protected extensively in matches
The Shield rarely lost, meaning it was a huge moment every time they did. However, fans noticed a trend in all of their losses: Roman was rarely the one eating the pin or being tapped out.
Reigns was earmarked as a future megastar right from the off, and WWE went out of their way to book him. He took decisive wins, rarely tasting defeat and smashing records. A video on WWE's YouTube channel shows the first time The Big Dog was pinned, showcasing how big a moment it was.
From eliminating a record 12 men in his Royal Rumble debut to essentially winning a Survivor Series match on his own, Reigns accomplished things that elevated his star. He was the standout member of The Shield and lived up to that label every week.