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This week on Raw, the WWE began to plant the seeds for the inevitable Shield split later in the year.
As most fans had predicted, it looks as though it could be Dean Ambrose who turns on his Shield brethren, with the former WWE Champion being tempted to side with the trio of Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre at several points throughout the show.
If Ambrose does turn on Rollins and Reigns, it doesn't necessarily mean that The Shield's run on the main roster is finished though. Instead, the WWE could decide to put another member of the WWE or NXT roster in the group as his replacement, at least for a short while.
With that in mind, let's take a look at five superstars who could replace Dean Ambrose as the third member of The Shield.
5: Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt has not been seen on WWE television since the departure of Matt Hardy. The WWE is likely figuring out the best direction to go in with the former WWE Champion but one thing is for sure, Wyatt needs to make some sort of impact upon his return.
Wyatt has gone from a main-event talent to a mid-carder with no momentum over the course of the last 18 months, and the WWE needs to figure out a way to make him interesting once again.
Wyatt, under his current gimmick is not exactly a natural fit for The Shield, but with a few character tweaks, he could make an interesting addition to the group.
4: Ricochet
This one would involve a lot of moving parts. Ricochet is currently the hottest star in NXT and is the brand's North American Champion.
The idea of Ricochet teaming up with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns is enough to get any wrestling fan excited though, and his indie background could make him the perfect fit for the group.
His high octane in-ring style could also be a new element to The Shield's in-ring work, and the move would also instantly establish Ricochet as a star on the main roster.
3: Aleister Black
Aleister Black has just returned from injury in NXT and for the time being, it looks as though he is set to feud with whoever it was that attacked him backstage a couple of months ago.
Once he is done with that feud though, Black has effectively done all there is to do in NXT, and a move to the main roster is probably going to be on the cards for the former NXT Champion.
Black's outsider gimmick makes him the perfect fit for The Shield. His dark in-ring attire, unorthodox wrestling style, and imposing physique would fit perfectly alongside the team of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.
Like Ricochet, a partnership with The Shield would instantly elevate Black to the main-event scene on Monday nights, which is exactly where he should be.
2: Finn Balor
Finn Balor is one of the most underutilised stars on the WWE roster. The inaugural Universal Champion has just come out of a forgettable feud with Baron Corbin and was effectively used to promote the Mixed Match Challenge on this week's Raw.
Balor deserves better than that, and having him join forces with The Shield would instantly put him back into the thick of the main-event scene on Monday nights.
Balor is an excellent in-ring worker and is more than capable of filling the boots left behind by Ambrose. He is also one of the most over superstars on the roster, and the pop when he joins the group would be deafening.
1: Drew McIntyre
DId the WWE plant the seeds for this on this week's Raw? With Braun, Ziggler, and McIntyre teasing Ambrose about not taken seriously as a member of The Shield, Seth Rollins fought back by telling McIntyre that he was being used by Ziggler in a backstage segment.
McIntyre seems destined for a run as a main-event singles star on Raw, and having him turn face and join The Shield could be the beginning of that run for the former NXT Champion.
McIntyre is an incredible in-ring worker, excellent on the mic, and he has an incredible physique to boot, he was effectively tailor-made to stand side by side with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.
