When did Seth Rollins betray The Shield? Remembering the biggest betrayal in WWE history

In 2012, WWE introduced Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose (aka Jon Moxley) to the main roster as The Shield. The trio soon became one of the most popular stars in the company's history.

The story of the faction has all the elements needed to make it worthy of a Hollywood movie if it were to be made. It featured heroes, villains, brotherhood, friendship, rivalries, and a betrayal that changed the lives of everyone involved. The Sheid debuted on November 18, 2012, at the Survivor Series to help CM Punk retain his WWE Championship against John Cena and Ryback.

They first worked as mercenaries for CM Punk and The Authority but later feuded with their former employers. At Extreme Rules 2013, all three members won championships. Ambrose secured the United States Championship, while Rollins and Reigns secured the WWE Tag Team Title. Over the next year, the trio dominated the roster, defeated legends, and more. However, all good things come to an end.

On June 2, 2014, after beating The Evolution's Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista for the second time, the trio broke up. Rollins took down Reigns with a steel chair shot to the back, marking the biggest betrayal in WWE's history.

Rollins brutally assaulted Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns with the steel chair, completely demolishing them in the ring as Randy Orton and Triple H watched from ringside.

The Architect was Triple H's "plan B" for destroying The Shield. In the following episode, Rollins revealed that he had killed his own creation to further his interests and become a top star in the company. On the other hand, Ambrose labeled Seth as cancer within the faction, and Reigns claimed his former stablemate had committed the most unforgivable sin.

The trio were a force of nature that others did not want to cross paths with. Ambrose was the mouthpiece of the group, the one who was more vocal than the others. Roman Reigns was a powerhouse and was known for being an exceptional athlete. Seth Rollins was the group's chaotic member, better known for taking hot-headed and crazy decisions to help The Shield.

Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose did not have a falling out, but the duo started taking separate paths to begin their singles journey in WWE, marking the end of The Shield. On June 24, Reigns confirmed that he was alone and that the faction no longer existed.

The trio reunited in 2017 and had a brief on-and-off run before Ambrose left the company to join AEW. Reigns became The Tribal Chief in 2020, and Rollins became a Visionary. They both battled at the 2022 Royal Rumble, where Seth used The Shield entrance to play mind games with his former stablemate, who was set to defend his Universal Title.

The match ended in DQ, as Reigns continuously hit Rollins with a steel chair, hinting that he still hasn't forgotten about the betrayal.

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WWE has focused on long-term storytelling with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns

Ahead of WrestleMania 40, Seth Rollins aligned himself with Cody Rhodes to help him against The Rock and Roman Reigns. The Visionary claimed that the only man who could be The American Nightmare's shield against The Tribal Chief was Rollins.

Cody Rhodes took on Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in the main event of WrestleMania Night Two. Several superstars and legends interfered during the match, such as The Undertaker, The Rock, Jey Uso, and Jimmy Uso, among others. The man finally responsible for the OTC's defeat was Seth Rollins.

He appeared in the ring in The Shield's gear, and Roman Reigns had a choice to make. He could either take down Seth Rollins with the steel chair or Cody Rhodes. the OTC decided to avenge betrayal and took down The Visionary with the steel chair, costing himself the championship.

The most recent development was at Royal Rumble 2025, when Seth Rollins hit Reigns twice with the Curb Stomp after both were eliminated from the Men's Rumble match. Triple H could possibly book them for a Triple Threat bout at WrestleMania 41 with CM Punk.