WWE Timed Braun Strowman Heel Turn, Shield Return Perfectly on Raw

After watching The Shield make their triumphant return to WWE programming last week on Raw and now seeing Braun Strowman complete a perceived heel turn, the timing of the decisions couldn't be better for the company.

Right now, WWE needs a marquee storyline that can generate excitement for the weekly episodes of Raw and pay-per-view events.

With two of the most popular Superstars in Roman Reigns and Strowman joining forces with the in-ring prowess of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, the angle between the factions could carry the red brand into 2019.

There is never a bad time for a reunion of The Shield, but some are questioning the decision to turn Strowman heel.

With many fans already cheering for Strowman and booing Reigns, The Monster Among men's popularity shouldn't drop much as he enters a feud against arguably the greatest faction in wrestling history.

Strowman and Reigns are not only going head-to-head in the main event of Hell in a Cell on September 16, though, as it was also announced The Shield will team up to take on Strowman, Ziggler and McIntyre at the Super Show-Down in Australia in October.

Add in the fact WWE Creative tends to book longer stories as the holiday season begins, and the program between The Shield and Strowman's gang could continue through Survivor Series in November and even Tables, Ladders and Chairs in December if the program needs a deciding rubber match.

No matter how much people complain, Reigns is the top face for Raw, so giving Strowman an edge to his character will make him an even better antagonist for the universal champion. Even if Monday's change wasn't a full-blown heel turn, any character development in WWE is welcomed.

Strowman was already hunting for Reigns and the Universal Championship, but with Ziggler and Rollins having a long history and a feud budding between McIntyre and Ambrose, each of the storylines is made better with the involvement of the other Superstars in the stables.

With Strowman already agreeing to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at Hell in a Cell, there is still a chance he walks out of the PPV with the universal title, especially if the long-term idea is for Reigns to rise from the ashes again and recapture it from the unbeatable Monster.

Just as WCCW did with the six-man battles between the Von Erichs and The Fabulous Freebirds, there are so many matchups, stipulations and swerves involving both stables that WWE Creative could keep the feud alive all the way to the Royal Rumble in January 2019.

The key to the success of this long-term booking will be how much the WWE Universe buys it. Strowman and Reigns tried to kill each other from a storyline perspective in their previous meetings, so they have to match that intensity while ensuring the other members of their respective stables do the same.

When these two groups battle, it needs to be an all-out war.

If wrestling fans get the unpredictable version of The Shield going against the car-flipping version of Strowman with the brutality and technical prowess of Ziggler and McIntyre, this should be a main event angle for months.

Reuniting The Shield and turning Strowman heel will be key to Raw's success moving forward.

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