It appears that the late decision to add Dean Ambrose to the WWE Payback pay-per-view main event, making it a match with all three members of The Shield involved, was done by design.
Cable TV ads that aired after this week’s RAW, where the angle was shot, still listed a regular triple-threat match between Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Randy Orton, meaning the Ambrose decision was definitely a late decision.
What’s interesting about the change from a historical standpoint is the fact that WWE had been planning to hold off on having all three former Shield members in a high-profile title match at WrestleMania 32.
On a related note, there is speculation that in the fatal four-way match at Payback, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns may end up turning on Orton. The company is lacking in credible heels but they do have new up-and-coming babyface talents that they could be pushing.
If Ambrose and Reigns turn on Orton, that would leave Rollins. Whether or not that means Ambrose-Reigns-Rollins would become a trio again, referred to as The Shield again, or otherwise, remains to be seen.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
