WWE Payback 2014 Results: The Shield's Win Provides a Positive Long-Term Outlook

The implied stipulation for the second showdown between The Shield and Evolution was that the loser would disband as a group. Triple H continuously said this much with the "adapt or perish" tagline he used to promote Evolution. 

By night's end, Evolution couldn't have perished any more definitively. 

Evolution was in control early. All three members of the group did a number on alpha dog Roman Reigns with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose dormant, but The Shield eventually adapted.

With new-school wrestling moves like Rollins' stage dive, Ambrose's "Dirty Deeds" reverse DDT and Reigns' Superman Punch, The Shield was able to mount a comeback.

In the finishing sequence, Batista and Randy Orton were vanquished within seconds of one another. The story remained picture perfect, as The Shield's flurry of offense seemed to be too much for an aging Triple H—who was left to fend for himself with only his trusted sledgehammer.

With both Batista and Triple H past the age of 40, Evolution could never truly adapt as a long-term stable. But its apparent demise played out much better for storyline purposes.  

Status quo for WWE in these types of matches is to end in a one-on-one showdown to add to a climactic finish.

Last year, a similar Survivor Series elimination match featuring The Shield ended with Reigns and Rey Mysterio as the last men standing. Reigns went on to notch his forth and final elimination as the sole survivor. 

This time around, however, no member of The Shield took a pinfall. All three were able to celebrate together after pitching the proverbial shutout. In the context of a match that decided which stable would evolve, this is the perfect ending.

Triple H and Batista, while they remain effective in-ring performers, are well past their respective primes. Even Orton, the youngest member of Evolution at age 34 and still an active performer, is well into the second half of a career that began at age 19.  

Evolution, at its core, served to elevate young stars to the main event by associating them with living legends. It was only fitting that this feud did the same even if the young stars in question belonged to another stable.

With two big wins over Evolution, The Shield is established as a dominant unit in WWE. As much as Reigns continues to score big pinfalls (he pinned both Batista and Triple H on Sunday night), The Shield's value remains as a single unit. 

Sure, Reigns once again shined as a potential breakout star. But all three members were able to stand tall and share victory in a match where each member had his moment. 

Despite their competition dwindling (3MB anyone?), we have not seen it all from The Shield. With the group stronger than ever, even a rematch against the Wyatts carries intrigue.

During its previous feud, The Shield's inner turmoil was a glaring subplot. If a current storyline juxtaposes the growth of the group compared to leader Bray Wyatt's big loss to John Cena, a fresh new rivalry is created. 

For Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, the best days lie ahead. After a clean sweep of legendary opponents, the three will not be separating anytime soon.

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Alfred Konuwa co-hosts the Kings of Sport podcast. Like us on Facebook!