By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE “The Shield’s Final Chapter” live special
Aired April 21, 2019 live on WWE Network
Moline, Illinois at Tax Slayer Center
Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Renee Young checked in from ringside and set the table for the broadcast. In addition to the Shield match, they also hyped Finn Balor vs. Elias for the Intercontinental Championship, and Riott Squad vs. Bayley and Ember Moon… A video package focused on the genesis of The Shield…
Elias played his guitar in the ring. He said he’s happy that it’s the final chapter for The Shield. He said Dean Ambrose had the good sense to realize that there’s no future for The Shield in WWE. He said he wished Seth Rollins had the same sense, but he’ll continue to drive Raw into the ground. Elias said Roman Reigns will pay for what he did to him and Vince McMahon. Elias sang a song about The Shield’s final night and said it’s unfortunate it was happing in front of one of the dumpiest crowds he’s ever seen. Finn Balor’s entrance music interrupted Elias.
Once Balor was in the ring, Elias called for his music to be cut. Balor said he was in the middle of singing one of his greatest songs before Balor interrupted him. Balor said he came out because he wanted to walk with Elias, who said he was in a good mood and would let Balor sing a song that was so easy that even the people of Moline could pick up on it. Elias instructed the crowd that when he said, “I love Elias” and then they follow with “yes, I do.” Balor chanted it to “When I say Elias sucks.” Elias attacked him…
1. Finn Balor vs. Elias for the Intercontinental Championship. The referee separated the wrestlers, checked on Balor, and started the match. Balor dominated the early offense due to the pre match attack. Cole noted that he, Graves, and Young were set up right next to the apron at ringside (on the hard camera side). Elias kicked out of a rollup pin and applied a Fujiwara armbar, then gave up the hold once Balor inched closer to the ropes.
Balor came back and performed a double stomp and a sling blade clothesline, but Elias took him down with a clothesline of his own. Balor caught Elias with a kick from the apron, then went up top for his finisher, but Elias cut him off. Elias tried to knock Balor off the apron and through the broadcast table, but Balor hung on and performed a sunset flip over the top rope for a near fall. Balor caught Elias in an inside cradle and scored the pin…
Finn Balor defeated Elias in 6:35 to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
Powell’s POV: A basic match with Balor winning with an inside cradle rather than his Coup de Grace finisher. Was that done to protect Elias to some extent? I don’t know that it really helped and it’s hard to believe he’s about to feud with Reigns, but we’ll see what they do to heat up Elias on Smackdown. I was hoping they would have a Raw wrestler defeat Balor for the title on this show so that Samoa Joe would remain on Smackdown as U.S. Champion. Instead, it looks like Joe will be moving to Raw tomorrow night along with his title. It makes sense in the short term because they are setting him up for a feud with Braun Strowman, but it’s not good for Smackdown, which will be even lighter on strong heels.
After the match, Elias said Balor got lucky. He announced that he was going to sing his song. Elias was interrupted by the Riott Squad trio, who asked if they could sing along with his song. Liv Morgan asked if they could be the Elias Squad for the night. Elias said he liked the sound of that. Elias sang his “I love Elias” song and then the Riott Squad members sang the “Yes, I do” part intentionally awfully until Bayley’s music spared everyone. Ring announcer Mike Rome introduced Bayley, who waited at ringside while Ember Moon made her entrance…
2. Bayley and Ember Moon vs. Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan (w/Liv Morgan). Cole noted that this was the final night for Riott Squad as a team because of Morgan moving to Smackdown in the Superstar Shakeup. Bayley was isolated by the Riott Squad duo. She inched toward her corner, but Riott took a tag from Logan and then knocked Moon off the apron.
Moon tagged in moments later anyway and worked over Riott. Ruby came back and threw a nice knee to the face of Moon. Riott put her feet on the ropes for leverage while trying to pin her and then Morgan added leverage from the apron. The referee spotted Morgan and ejected her from the match. Moon hit the Eclipse on a distracted Riott and pinned her clean…
Bayley and Ember Moon beat Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan in 7:15.
Powell’s POV: That’s a wrap for Riott Squad. They were a good trio, but they were never treated as a high end act. Here’s hoping they all get chances to thrive as singles wrestlers.
The Shield checked in from backstage. They all said their last name and then spoke about how they created a legacy and started a new culture in WWE. Ambrose said they would end it on their terms and go out their way…
The broadcast team recapped footage of Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin interrupting Lucha House Party vs. Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers in a match held prior to the live special. McIntyre, Lashley, and Corbin roughed up both teams. Corbin took the mic and said it was a preview for what they would do to The Shield later in the night…
Ring entrances for the main event took place. The heels came out first. Corbn cut a promo about how fans expected a happy ending for The Shield, just as they mistakenly thought they would get for Kurt Angle’s final match. Lashley and McIntyre also spoke briefly. The Shield entered through the crowd. Young said that if her husband is happy then she is happy, and she’s happy that he’s following his heart…
3. “The Shield” Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin. Young shared the story that the first time she went on a date with Ambrose, Rollins was there with Ambrose when she arrived. She said she was embarrassed. At 4:30, Ambrose performed a suicide dive on McIntyre. Moments later, Lashley and Corbin attacked Ambrose while McIntyre distracted the referee.
Ambrose was isolated by the heel trio. Ambrose was able to put Corbin in the figure four. McIntyre distracted the official and then Lashley raked the eyes of Ambrose to break the hold. At 8:50, Reigns grabbed a chair and went after Corbin, who ran away from him. Ambrose eventually made a hot tag to Rollins, who performed a sling blade clothesline on Corbin and then dove onto McIntyre at ringside. Back inside the ring, Rollins superkicked a kneeling Corbin. Rollins signaled for his finisher, but Corbin got up. McIntyre distracted Rollins momentarily, allowing Corbin to hit Rollins from behind at 10:45.
Reigns took a tag from Rollins at 11:30. Reigns worked over the heels and with Superman Punches. Ambrose begged for a tag and Reigns obliged. Ambrose performed his top rope elbow on Lashley and had him pinned, but McIntyre broke it up. Reigns speared Lashley. Rollins performed a Stomp on McIntyre. Ambrose performed Dirty Deeds on Corbin. Ambrose played to the crowd and then tagged in Reigns, who tagged in Rollins. The Shield trio performed their Triple Powerbomb on Corbin, and Rollins pinned him to win the match…
“The Shield” Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose defeated Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin in 14:25.
After the match, Cole praised Ambrose for selflessly tagging in Rollins even though he could have won the match via pinfall after performing Dirty Deeds (he actually tagged Reigns, who then tagged Rollins). The broadcast team gushed over The Shield members.
Rollins took house mic and a “thank you, Ambrose” chant broke out. Ambrose was lying in the corner selling injuries and gave them a hang loose hand sign. Ambrose got back to his feet and fans cheered. Fans followed up with a “please don’t go” chant. Rollins thanked the crowd, but he asked them if they thought he and Reigns hadn’t already tried that.
Rollins noted that he defeated Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania. Rollins said a lot of people know him in the Quad Cities and that moment at WrestleMania was a culmination of his 15 years in the business. Rollins said he had family in the crowd and he couldn’t have done it without them and without the fans. Rollins said it wouldn’t be possible without The Shield brotherhood. Rollins told Reigns and Ambrose that he loves them, he’ll always love The Shield, and the Universal Championship is for all of them. “I couldn’t have done this without you,” Rollins said before hugging both men.
Rollins offered the mic to Reigns, who looked to the crowd, but he didn’t take the mic. Ambrose took the mic and said Rollins grew up in the Quad Cities. He said Rollins is proof that you can do anything in life if you bust your ass. Ambrose said The Shield is about kicking down doors and not taking no for an answer. Ambrose said if someone tells you can’t do something, you stick your middle finger high in the air, march forward, and tell them that The Shield said so. Ambrose dropped the mic. Another “thank you, Ambrose” chant broke out. The Shield trio put their fists together one more time and their music played. Cole thanked The Shield “for making us all fans again” and for their final chapter in WWE…
Powell’s POV: A nice moment if you saw it, but this special is completely missable unless you really want to see The Shield together one last time. While this may truly be the last time, it felt like we’d seen this before on Raw. The live crowd enjoyed it, but it just didn’t pack a real punch with me. Cole’s line about The Shield “making us all fans again” felt like a bit much as well. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed The Shield, but there’s only so many farewells you can do before it stops feeling special. Quite frankly, I’m more excited about what we all assume is next for Ambrose.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and Jake Barnett discussing WWE Superstar Shakeup and all the news of the week.
Elias continues to be buried. HUGE miss on Vince’s part.