VIDEO Seth Rollins Heel Turn: What’s Next For The Shield And Evolution?

The strongest faction in WWE is no more, as Seth Rollins turned on fellow Shield members Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns on “Monday Night Raw.”

Just 24 hours after The Shield defeated Evolution at Payback, Rollins joined Triple H and Randy Orton to become the new third member of Evolution. Earlier in the night, Batista quit WWE, claiming he hadn’t been given what he was promised, since his return in January.

For weeks, there have been rumors that a new member of Evolution would replace Batista. He’s set to go on hiatus as he promotes his new movie, “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which will hit theaters in August. While there had been speculation that another wrestler might join the faction, Rollins’ defection from The Shield wasn't expected.

There had been hints that The Shield might break up before WrestleMania 30, but the group’s face turn had gone so well that it appeared they would remain a unit for the foreseeable future. With Daniel Bryan’s injury currently keeping him out of action, the members of The Shied had joined John Cena as WWE’s top babyfaces.

It’s unknown where The Shield goes from here. They could recruit a new member to compete with Evolution. Rollins’ departure could also be a precursor to Dean Ambrose’s heel turn, paving the way for Reigns to become a future WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

The Shield’s split automatically makes Rollins one of the top heels in the company. If Bryan’s injury forces him to vacate his title, which could happen at Money in the Bank this month, Rollins could be one of the leading candidates to become the new champ.

The Shield had been together for more than a year and a half. They debuted at Survivor Series 2012, when they interfered in the WWE title match and helped CM Punk retain his championship.