By Matthew Klink (@klinkmatt)

October 23, 2018

I just realized how tough it is to think of the right way to start this article. I just deleted the first paragraph for the third time. I wanted to start with story, then I thought I should let you all know how smart I am. Yuck…Then I went back to story line…

What I’m gonna do is remind you all of a couple things. Roman Reigns is actually Leati Joseph Anoa’i. Joe reminded us who he is last night because he knows how tough it is to separate the man from the character. He knows how passionate we’ve all been to support him…or damn him. And that’s okay! It’s okay that you booed him and darn it all…it’ll be okay to boo him when he gets back (although…I don’t know how you could…but its okay).

But we’re here for Joe now. And while some of us were shocked last night or feel bad, nothing we feel will compare to what Joe is dealing with or what his family feels. So let’s think about his kids, his family, and how tough its going to be for him to walk away from the thing he loves most.

We love you Joe! We’ll see you soon!

Let’s talk pro wrestling! (And remember! From here on out, we are talking story lines, not actual decisions by humans.)

Roman Reigns Drops the Universal Title

Roman Reigns, the character, had to leave us last night and the Universal Title. It leaves a literal and figurative hole in the main event scene and while it wasn’t appropriate last night, there is now room for a ton of speculation as to what happens next!

Going into (stupid) Crown Jewel, the WWE is now has the potential to finally let Braun Strowman carry the Red Brand for a couple of months. He will beat Brock Lesnar and we can finally bid Brock adieu.

And I think we all know what comes after that: Drew McIntyre!

(HAHAHA!!!! WE WERE RIGHT!!!!)

As we wait for the return of the Big Dog, we appear to be in great hands. And if it isn’t because there is some great talent on this roster, its because this group will honor Joe/Roman Reigns and do right by him by giving us 110% in every promo/match/punch.

And while these guys are going to give 110% now, they’re going to be giving 500% when Roman returns to stake his claim to the throne.

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins vs Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre

After Roman left his title in the ring, the Shield met at the top of the entrance ramp to show us that Hounds of Justice were going to get through this troubled time together. Or so we thought…

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins were scheduled to take on Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler for the Raw Tag Titles. With Roman leaving, would the Shield use this as motivation to win for their brother or would it be too much to handle? That was the question earlier in the night, but was far from our minds by the end of it.

Interrupting our consideration for the emotional effect of the night, on Seth and Dean, was the Monster Among Men, Braun Strowman. Only, it was Strowman who let his emotions get the best of him, after being attacked by Drew McIntyre in back to back weeks. It was a time for reckoning as McIntyre was going to feel the pain others have felt, when they were forced to “Get These Hands”.

Braun and Drew fought their way to the back stage area, leaving Dolph Ziggler to fight off the remaining members of the Shield on his own. In a wild twist to the night, we actually had a pin to end the match! Ziggler tried his best to find a way to win this match. Once he saw the opportunity, he went straight for the tag titles, as a weapon, to take out Seth Rollins.

Grabbing the title and sliding back in the ring seemed easy enough, but it was Ambrose who saved Seth, by grabbing the potential weapon and ripping it away from Ziggler. The action staggered Dolph and sent him stumbling to the middle of the ring. Setting Dolph up perfectly, to be curb stomped in the center of the squared circle. Rollins lays on top of the Show Off: 1…2…3.

The Show Off and his title reign with McIntyre was wrapped up…but the actual show still had a few minutes left.

Dean Ambrose Destroys the Shield

The embrace! The celebration! A moment of triumph for the tag team that had to endure more that night than most tag teams will ever have to. But this moment of triumph was not enough for Dean Ambrose. The celebration wasn’t the only message Dean wanted to deliver. And the embrace…the embrace was what helped Dean deliver his next message.

Ambrose kicked Seth Rollins and wrapped him up in Dirty Deeds and committed one of Dean Ambrose’ dirtiest deeds he has, to date.

On a night that the fans had the Big Dog taken away from them. On a night when Seth and Dean had to be stronger than ever. On a night where the tag team and the fans were given a chance to celebrate together. It was the night that Dean Ambrose would finally break away away from the Shield.

Break away and become the heel we always knew we wanted him to be. The heel that he was born to be. The heel…to make Dean Ambrose relevant and believable again.

Moving Forward from Shield

The story here is extremely juicy and compelling. While I type this up, I’m watching a show on Netflix, the Haunting at Hill House that deals with more than ghosts and monsters. Its main plot device is people dealing with problems and emotions and how they affect our relationships.

While Dean Ambrose had been struggling with his brothers being more successful than he has been, Dean definitely didn’t hide the fact that it was getting to him. On the night that Roman Reigns left the Shield, Dean watched his strong brotherhood start to crumble. Dealing with this loss is what could be the cause of his betrayal of Seth Rollins.

There’s no hiding that Seth was the reason the Shield broke up the first time and who’s to say Dean Ambrose has a short memory? Dean could be getting back at Seth for all of the damage he did years ago and all he had to do was wait till there was no one who could stand between them.

Whether the loss of Roman was too much to handle or Dean was just lying in wait, Ambrose definitely has some answering to do. I, for one, can’t wait to see what’s next for Dean Ambrose and hope that this long wait (and I mean five year wait) pushes the Lunatic Fringe to turn into a truly devious heel.

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