On Monday, Roman Reigns and CM Punk return to the proverbial scene of the crime, or should I say crimes, when they come face-to-face on Monday Night Raw in Indianapolis. There, they’ll add another chapter to their decades-long rivalry, doing so in the place where that rivalry planted its first seeds. Even if, at the time, it was unbeknownst to both men.
Whether WWE intended for it to work out this way or not, the Indianapolis Fieldhouse, which years ago I jokingly referred to as the Shieldhouse, has been the setting for some of the Shield’s most impactful moments. On November 18, 2012, the young trio, determined to make an impact on the industry (which they undoubtedly did), debuted in the Fieldhouse, the very same place that set the scene for their demise two years later on June 2, 2014. Even still, the Shield’s story in WWE was far from written because on October 9, 2017, the trio formally reunited for a brief run. And where did that reunion take place? You guessed it, the Fieldhouse. The locale has gone by different names, first as the Bankers Life Fieldhouse and now the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but one thing has remained consistent. This place is the backdrop for quite an interwoven story, and on Monday, it writes its latest chapter as Roman Reigns and CM Punk come face-to-face in the place where their journey first began.
CM Punk Brings the Shield into WWE, Helps Dismantle Them
While the Shield’s debut focused on Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins, another man was in the arena the moment the trio made their debut: CM Punk. On November 18, 2012, three masked figures walked through the crowd and into WWE. Their objective? Interrupt the Survivor Series main event and create chaos in the process of helping Punk retain his WWE Championship. This, of course, was during Punk’s then record 434-day run atop the mountain, a run made at least in part possible due to the mercenaries on his payroll. And it’s worth noting, a run that saw Punk defend the title over 100 times, which, as he put it during a heated confrontation with Reigns on Raw recently, “just because you [Reigns] did it longer, doesn’t mean you [Reigns] did it better.”
While initially, both Punk and the Shield denied a connection, the Shield largely targeted Punk’s enemies in the name of fighting injustice. Eventually, it was revealed that Paul Heyman had hired them from the beginning. As such, whether knowingly or unknowingly in kayfabe, Punk was a major part of the Shield’s journey from day one. His larger role came later, however, in helping create the cracks that eventually led to the trio’s breakup. Punk wasn’t in the ring the night of June 2, but his presence was certainly felt. His words and his actions served as a catalyst that led to the distrust and doubt Ambrose, Reigns, and Rollins began to have for one another. In a way, Punk fulfilled the old saying, “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.” The Shield was Punk’s creation in large part, and when he no longer needed them, he had no problem contributing to their demise.
CM Punk and Roman Reigns Set for First Face-to-Face Since Royal Rumble Decision
It’s a sentiment that Punk expressed in part to Reigns during their last confrontation. Punk took credit for Reigns’ career and success. After all, it’s become well-known that Reigns wasn’t on Punk’s list of guys he wanted in the Shield. He was WWE’s chosen one. But Punk saw the value in taking the company’s guy under his wing. Punk knew his role was to be a mentor to the three rising stars, but when he left the company under less-than-ideal terms, he took a page out of Rollins’ playbook and burned it all down. One of the things he said in his tell-all was that when he feuded with the Shield, he was told one very specific directive: to make Roman Reigns look strong.
As the OTC revealed during their confrontation when Reigns announced his choice to face Punk at WrestleMania 42, those five words made his career incredibly difficult. Reigns made no secret of his feelings. He essentially called Punk delusional for saying that Reigns was just following in his footsteps. According to Reigns, he held the power because Punk wouldn’t even be back in WWE he hadn’t allowed it. Reigns said he hated Punk and always had.
Reigns and Punk have wrestled just one singles match all the way back in 2014. At the time, Reigns was the only member of the Shield to defeat Punk one-on-one, a distinction held until Rollins earned his victory over Punk last March. That said, their rivalry dates back nearly 15 years, stemming from one fateful day in Indianapolis. On Monday, past will meet present as the walls of the so-called Shieldhouse, imbued with memories of triumph, betrayal, and forgiveness and that now hang a neon sign in its rafters, will serve to remind both these men what is at stake at WrestleMania 42 beyond the world heavyweight championship.
Featured Image, Credit: WWE
