Seth Rollins gets asked about The Shield before SummerSlam; mentions Jon Moxley while making a big statement
It's been a decade since The Shield first broke up, and as expected, every member has gone on to have exceptional singles careers. While promoting SummerSlam, Seth Rollins opened up about a potential Shield reunion and its impact on the wrestling business.
The arrival of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose (aka Jon Moxley) was seen as the dawn of a new era. However, after their initial years together, it all came down to their split. Following Payback 2014, Rollins turned on his partners and wielded the steel chair to deliver one of history's most memorable faction breakups.
While speaking to ESPN, Rollins admitted that he often looks back at the moment and realizes how significant it is for fans of The Shield. The Visionary also mentioned AEW's Jon Moxley and Roman Reigns while stressing how vital his heel turn was in the grander scheme.
"Yeah [on if he has sat back and thought about the Shield breakup], I have, you know, and I've been asked about it a lot. Obviously, that's like the one thing that if you're a fan of Seth Rollins or The Shield, or Jon Moxley, or Roman Reigns, I think that's the one thing that kind of sits with you over the course of the last ten years." [3:29 - 3:45]
Seth Rollins would personally change nothing about his turn on Reigns and Ambrose, as he believed it kicked-start the changes needed in pro wrestling.
He explained:
"I get asked about it all the time. I've thought about it, would you go back and change it? Would you do something different? And my answer is unequivocally no, because where we are right now, the business as a whole is healthier than it's ever been and that moment in time is what shifted everything. That's what put us on our separate paths." [3:48 - 4:06]
Seth Rollins recalls The Shield's original goal
They might have been three rookies breaking into WWE, but Seth Rollins, Jon Moxley, and Roman Reigns had lofty ambitions and wanted to conquer the business from day one.
Seth Rollins said the group's goal was to run the show, which they eventually did after becoming successful main event talents for the company. He also wanted to improve the pro wrestling industry, and according to him, the swing of the chair set in motion a chain of events that transformed pro wrestling forever.
"Our goal in the beginning was to run the show, was to run the business, to change it, to make it better. And here we are, a decade later, and I dare say, it was accomplished with a swing of that steel chair." [4:07 - 4:14]
Seth Rollins will be the special guest referee in Drew McIntyre and CM Punk's match at SummerSlam, and rest assured, the former World Heavyweight Champion might not be the fairest official due to his issues with both men.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit ESPN and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.