In case you haven’t heard… THE SHIELD IS BACK!
I am beyond excited about this development, as The Shield is probably my favorite faction of all time. In celebration of the monumental occasion, we’ve decided to bring you five fast facts about each member of The Shield. First up, my personal favorite: The Architect, Seth Rollins.
5. He’s Armenian, German, and Irish
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Rollins’ real name is Colby Lopez, and while he may look it, he actually isn’t Latino. He explained in a 2015 interview that Lopez is the last name of his stepfather:
I’m half Armenian and half German and Irish. My biological dad was Armenian. My last name is Lopez and I have a darker complexion, which throws people for a loop. My mother’s first husband is Mexican. That’s where I got Lopez. I grew up eating Mexican food at home, but he was very American. He didn’t grow up in Mexico or speak Spanish.
This, of course, makes Rollins the only Armenian wrestler to have held the WWE Championship – or any WWE title, for that matter.
4. He had a one-off appearance in TNA
Prior to making a name for himself in Ring of Honor, Rollins – then wrestling as Tyler Black – appeared as enhancement talent on an episode of TNA Impact. In October 2006, he and Jeff Luxon teamed up to take on Homicide and Hernandez, a.k.a. The Latin American Xchange, and were promptly destroyed.
Hey, at least the commentator actually used his name.
3. He owns and operates a pro wrestling school
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In 2013, Rollins opened the Black & Brave Wrestling Academy in Moline, Illinois alongside his former tag team partner, Marek Brave. Despite his grueling WWE schedule, Rollins still makes time to instruct students himself – but it’ll cost you a pretty penny. A 12-week novice crash course runs $3,500, but it sounds like it’s worth it: students train five hours per day, three days per week, and the course includes character and career development.
2. Evan Bourne convinced him to join WWE
During his 210-day run as ROH World Champion in 2009 and 2010, Rollins became pro wrestling’s hottest commodity. At the time, he was offered contracts from not one, but three companies: Ring of Honor, TNA, and WWE. Initially, he planned to go to TNA – but Evan Bourne, a.k.a. Matt Sydal convinced him to join WWE.
Can you imagine how insanely different the pro wrestling world would be if Bourne hadn’t convinced Rollins to join WWE? The Shield as we know it wouldn’t exist, and we would never have experienced Rollins’s epic Money in the Bank cash-in at WrestleMania 31. I don’t know about you, but that’s an alternate reality I don’t want to explore.
1. He’s the only wrestler to simultaneously hold the WWE and United States Championships
At SummerSlam 2015, Rollins famously defeated John Cena in a Winner Takes All match for both the WWE World Heavyweight and the United States Championships. While there have been numerous instances where a wrestler has held two titles simultaneously, Rollins is the only one who’s accomplished that feat with the WWE and U.S. titles.
Bonus fact: he’s also the only wrestler to have won the FCW, NXT, and WWE Championships.
So there you have it: five fast facts about The Architect of The Shield. Did you learn anything new? Are you excited that The Shield is back? Share your thoughts and comments below!