4 reasons why Seth Rollins was the standout member of The Shield

When Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins marched into WWE at Survivor Series 2012, no one could have foreseen their success. As The Shield, they wreaked havoc and reached the top of the mountain together.

The Shield's premise was built on being a team, a well-oiled unit that couldn't be beaten as long as all three members were on the same page. The group repeatedly mentioned that there was no standout member within their ranks, but fans never bought that claim.

Throughout their run, there was a case for Reigns, Ambrose, or Rollins to be the breakout star of The Shield. All three showed they were elite performers right from their debut, prompting interesting debates about who was the man among The Hounds of Justice.

We take a trip down memory lane and list four reasons why Seth Rollins was possibly the standout member of The Shield:

---

#4. His wrestling style resonated well with fans

Rollins took to the skies and wowed audiences every week!

One reason why The Shield was so successful was that each member employed a different approach in the ring. The power-based offense of Roman Reigns, the ground-and-pound technique of Dean Ambrose, and the daredevil high-flying moves of Seth Rollins meant they could take on anyone and overwhelm them with every trick in the book.

However, it was Rollins' style that appealed to most fans. His willingness to take risks was unmatched, as were his jaw-dropping moves and leaps. The Architect was the most fun to watch in the ring, making him stand out from his teammates.

---

#3. He enjoyed success in NXT, but his teammates didn't

Rollins walked into the main roster as the most successful member of The Shield!

While Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins ended up being success stories after The Shield's debut, one of them had already reached the top of the mountain before. That man was Rollins, who was NXT Champion when The Shield rolled into Survivor Series 2012 and changed the business.

Rollins was the first-ever superstar to hold the NXT Championship, becoming the face of the then-developmental brand. Reigns and Ambrose, on the other hand, had rather uneventful stints in NXT. The most interesting thing they did on the Black & Yellow show was to help the current Visionary retain his NXT title.

Most WWE fans knew of the trio in some capacity. However, Rollins' success on NXT gave him the edge, and by the time The Shield made their debut, The Architect had already had the eyes of the world on him.

---

#2. He seemed like the brains behind the operation

It's not for nothing that Seth Rollins is called The Architect. He's the Batman of WWE, always a man with a plan and everything figured out in his blueprints. He played a similar role in The Shield, strategizing and calming any flaring tempers between Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

Without Rollins, The Shield may have collapsed long before he ironically betrayed them. He was the voice of reason and helped the team reconcile when tensions were higher than ever. Fans took note of this, which helped The Aerialist establish himself as the standout member of The Shield.

---

#1. He was The Shield's Jack of all trades

The skillsets each member of The Shield possessed made them a fearsome unit. When Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins operated at their full potential and were on the same page, no one stood a chance against them.

Reigns and Ambrose's strengths were fairly obvious. The former had the power and loved to smash opponents silly. The latter was fantastic on the mic and a master of psychological warfare, with his intensity unmatched among The Hounds of Justice.

With Rollins, however, things are a little tricky. Except for technical excellence in the ring, he wasn't exactly the best among his team in any other department. However, he was also an all-rounder and could do everything on a higher level. His buckle bombs showed he had power in his arsenal. He could cut mean promos and oscillate seamlessly between team player and vocal leader.

The Architect's consistent delivery on every trait a wrestler needs saw fans accept him as an elite talent and the standout member of The Shield. He could do things neither Reigns nor Ambrose could do and do it very well.