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Cagesideseats said:Dean Ambrose is the most valuable member of the main roster. If it weren't a subjective matter, I'd say it's a fact. I'm not talking about the best in-ring performer or the biggest draw or whatever denomination you want to break a wrestler down to. He is the best asset in the WWE in the company. He has been for years now.
And the scary thing is that WWE has known this for quite some time.
This isn't one of those "how Sasha Banks became The Boss" or "Seth Rollins was always the right choice" posts to fit the narrative of them winning the title and make a total fairy tale out of their rise to the top. Dean hasn't reached that plateau and who knows if he ever will. But after watching the Royal Rumble and Dean's confrontation with Brock, it finally dawned on me: Dean Ambrose has been their go-to guy for years.
Think about it. While the Shield initially was supposed to be CM Punk's faction, the guy who always stood out at first and was the featured mouthpiece was Dean Ambrose. It was always assumed that if there was a leader, it was Dean. Sure, WWE flipped it around to say Seth was "The Architect", but no one ever thought for a moment it was him in their time together. Dean Ambrose was the guy they chose to stand alone as the singles' champion (say what you will about the reign itself) while Seth and Roman complimented each other where needed. When things went south or awry with the Shield, Dean Ambrose was always the fall guy.
He'd take the constant losses to CM Punk, he'd take the bump for old legends like Dusty Rhodes or Jake the Snake (allowing him to put Damien on him), and he'd eat the spear to "make Roman look strong" and take the pin for the team. Even when Roman and Bray were supposed to be the leaders going into the Shield/Wyatt feud, it was Ambrose who ignited the fight and actually got in Bray's face. He brawled far more with Bray during the match, even fighting into the crowd with him.
And when the Shield finally broke up, Dean Ambrose seemed like he faded into the background as Roman Reigns was getting push as the next top face and Seth Rollins the next top heel. Seth was getting hot, Roman was going undefeated and getting wins over major players like Randy Orton, and Dean was just kinda' there, slowly sinking into the midcard.
At least, that's what it seemed like. In reality, Dean was actually the hottest out of the three of them coming out the break up and they used what fire he had to get others over. Outside of perhaps Daniel Bryan and the Authority, Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins was the best rivalry of the year. Dean Ambrose not only put over Seth Rollins huge as a heel during the entire feud, he constantly was the best part of it. His relentless pursuit of Seth, the constant popping up out of nowhere, even the wacky scripted stuff he turned into gold (except the segment Mick Foley had to save). Even the matches were excellent with Ambrose taking so much abuse and toll on his body (powerbombs onto stacks of chairs, the cinder block spot, HIAC, etc).
He was absolutely white hot and the crowd was fully behind him. That's not just saying "he's over because the crowd's loud for him", it can be backed up by the fact that after the Black Friday sale his merch was the top selling item in the biggest online sales day everfor the company. Cyber Monday was only the 2nd biggest ever. I've heard no such follow up numbers for 2015's sale. It seemed as if he were en route to beat Seth Rollins and finally exact revenge on Seth Rollins.
And then, a returning Bray Wyatt happened. He interfered, Seth went over again to keep his momentum, and Dean was left to get over a rehabbing Bray Wyatt. Dean's momentum began to wane, Bray kept going over to build himself up for Taker, and the whole feud blew up right in Dean's face. Around this time, even I started losing some faith that my favorite guy, one of the guys that made me start watching wrestling again, was never going to be anything more than a mid-card transition guy.
After the infamous 2015 Royal Rumble, Dean Ambrose started going after the Intercontinental Championship claiming that he wanted to have his face on the wall at headquarters... whatever. That isn't what made a then garbage title with a poorly booked champion hot. What did was what Dean Ambrose did with it. He wasn't sitting back or just waiting for a challenge, he actively went after Barrett and forced him into a title match. For once, someone was proactively wanting to take ownership of this belt and be proud of it. I believed in everything he did.
Match at Fast Lane happens and, again, Dean Ambrose loses. This time via DQ because he "wrestled too much" as Barrett tried to cower away. Dean still hasn't won a PPV match since the start of his singles' run. But after the match, he just took the title. He dared Barrett to take it from him as he stood in his face. Barrett did nothing and Ambrose walked off claiming to be the champion.
All the sudden the Intercontinental title started picking up steam and got hot with Dean Ambrose, the guy who wasn't even champion, claiming that he would defend it with his life. And it was all Dean's gimmick... until two weeks later when it transitioned and became everyone's gimmick. Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, R-Truth, Stardust, and Luke Harper all joined in and started stealing the title as well. They would go into 'Mania, Dean would take a near death plunge through a ladder, and all the momentum transferred to Daniel Bryan. Dean just kinda' moved on and forgot the Intercontinental Title was even a thing. This may have been the only time during Daniel Bryan's career I was furious with him winning something. The crazier thing is that after Ambrose went through that ladder and got staples in his head, the very next night he was wrestling John Cena as the first open challenger. Bizarre.
Finally, after the Shield broke up, Dean Ambrose won his first PPV match against Luke Harper at Extreme Rules. Finally. And then, somehow, the next PPV he was in a Fatal-Four Way title match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I couldn't make heads or tails of it either. Randy Orton (beat Rollins at Mania and got cheated at ER) and Reigns (got cashed in on) made sense, but Ambrose? I thought for sure he was just there to eat the pin and I'm pretty sure most thought that as well (or Orton).
Orton ended up eating the pin. But there was something notable to take away from that match. After Randy and Seth got powerbombed through tables, Dean and Roman got in the ring together. This was not too long ago from Roman Reigns being booed out the building at the Rumble and being received negatively at 'Mania. As Ambrose and Roman fought one-on-one, the crowd was firmly in support of Ambrose and booing Reigns.
I only bring this up because after this match was over, they went to Ambrose vs. Rollins for the next PPV and not Roman. In fact, Roman took a total backseat in storyline as Dean came up to Seth asking for a title shot and then later threatening Seth's life for it. The twist that they put on the match was that if Roman interfered, Dean would lose the match. They teased dissension. We thought we knew what was coming: a heel turn from either guy.
Instead, Dean Ambrose won the match and beat Seth Rollins clean in the middle of the ring and the crowd rejoiced. I completely lost it and popped when it happened. Ambrose was striking hot again. I couldn't believe it. And I shouldn't have. Sure enough, they pulled the dusty finish on Ambrose and determined it a disqualification and Seth retained. Ambrose tried to keep the title but got jumped by Kane and J&J until Roman Reigns arrived to save him.
Now, while I didn't think WWE knew how valuable Dean Ambrose was at the time, I did know what they were doing here. They certainly weren't turning Roman or Dean heel. They couldn't. Turning Ambrose would be stupid and they're actively trying to get Reigns over as a top face. They were using Dean to give the rub to Roman. Seth was beloved for what he did at 'Mania, so you needed to finally start to get some actual heat on the guy. Beating Orton wasn't going to cut it, so you have him escape and slither out of what shouldn't have been a victory against Dean Ambrose, who he betrayed. That's how you make Seth Rollins a hated man.
But that's only part of the equation. You could easily just plug in Roman at this point and have him beat Seth, but you need to make sure he's getting over with the crowd. Now that you've gotten the heat on Seth, you hit Roman's music. Have him come down and save Ambrose and look like a hero as they both walk off and celebrate. Best friend Roman Reigns and saved his little buddy and brother, Dean. And from there, you successfully start rubbing Dean's momentum off on Roman as Dean parades around with the title claiming that he beat Seth fair and square.
This put WWE in an interesting position: they needed Reigns to get over and Ambrose to stick with him. You can't put the title on Ambrose because that doesn't help what you're trying to accomplish with Reigns. But you also can't have Reigns carrying Money in the Bank with his buddy at his side because you'll start splitting reactions again. So, you have them both lose.
Reigns doesn't win Money in the Bank after getting stopped by Bray Wyatt. Ambrose loses his title rematch against Seth after getting demolished practically the entire match and is sent to the back of the line (despite a flash finish for the belt). This forced them to band together for a little while to fend off the Wyatts.And they kept them as tight as possible. And as this feud went on, you noticed Reigns coming into the forefront more and more and Dean slipping into the background. It got to a point where Reigns was actually taking on the entire Wyatt Family on his own and walking through them and Dean was just fiddling around with Orton or getting checked by Jericho, who just disappears shortly after.
And it was working. The rub finally paid off. Roman beats Bray at Hell in a Cell, Ambrose's tag match doesn't happen because Orton got injured. Roman then becomes number one contender the night after, massively cheered, and steps up to Seth Rollins. And Dean Ambrose? Cheering on Roman Reigns in the background. Seriously. He wasn't even placed in the eight for the number one contender's match because it was only for the winners at HIAC.
One misstep later, everything changed. Seth Rollins was out with his torn ACL and MCL and suddenly the big, bad villain for Roman to conquer was gone. Guess who magically came back?
I hate to admit it, but any comparison to Dean Ambrose being a cockroach may be accurate. You can't kill the guy and some way or another he's poking his head back out into the main picture. He went from not even being in the running for the #1 contender spot to beating a then monster Kevin Owens clean and facing Roman Reigns in the finals for the championship. Mind blowing.
Dean of course did the job and put Reigns over as champion and Sheamus cashed in on him after he refused to shake HHH's hand. All the sudden, Dean found himself in a feud with Kevin Owens for the Intercontinental Title... and he won three weeks later to become the new champion. He beat him TWICE. The next day, Vince McMahon returns and Roman wins the title back to a massive ovation. The two brothers stand together as the company's two champions and perhaps two of the strongest on the roster.
Fast forward to the Royal Rumble. Dean Ambrose goes through hell with Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match and stands tall again, looking great as Intercontinental Champion. We all knew he would have to be in the Royal Rumble later that night. One versus all (not really) for Roman Reigns as he starts at one. The crowd didn't receive him warmly, but it wasn't anything outrageous or worrying. It wasn't until a stupid booking decision that the thunderous boos came. Roman, HHH, Sheamus, and Dean Ambrose left. Right after Reigns dumped Sheamus over the top rope, something unexpected happened.
HHH eliminated Roman. Almost effortlessly. Just came up behind him, never saw it coming. The crowd erupted in cheers with Dean Ambrose and HHH as the finalists, firmly behind Ambrose. They went back and forth a bit until HHH eliminated Dean.
What was weird to me is that Dean was the last one in there with HHH. Why? There were rumors of an audible being called last minute because of the reaction and way Roman was received, but even then... why Dean? They had every reason to throw him out... after all, he just came out of a last man standing match. But no, he was the last one in there with HHH.
It didn't make sense until last week. They realize how valuable Dean is. He's not only got a connection with the crowd, but the guy has been put through all this hell for years and he's still standing. He's perhaps the only face that will never get booed on the roster right now that is capable of wrestling. He's the guy.
Seriously, look at the follow up after the Royal Rumble: Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar are named the contenders for the title. This story line has been so centered on Roman Reigns and HHH/McMahons. Yet, Roman almost feels as if he's not even there or that he even really cares about HHH. He's dish rag boring right now as Ambrose contending with Lesnar feels full of fire and lively.
And they're LETTING Ambrose do this and he's getting over, unlike their attempts with Reigns. Remember all the protection Reigns got with Lesnar and even now to an extent? They're not afraid to let Ambrose go out there and get in Brock's grill and seem ready for a fight. The crowd is so firmly invested in Brock and Ambrose, I can't see how they could possibly let Roman win this match. It would be absolutely deflating because he's just the guy in the background of all of this. It'd be so underwhelming.
So, I'm starting to wonder: what if Dean actually wins this match? I even starting to get myself to believe that Dean is actually going to win this match because they understand what they have in him. Let's be honest, I understand that the big idea is to have a coronation for Reigns at Mania, but does Roman honestly carry that much more star power than Dean Ambrose? If any at all?
And I think they're realizing that they're at the end of their rope with Reigns and Ambrose together. They keep pitting them together for the championship. At some point, someone's gotta' turn. You can't turn Dean heel and keep Roman face, that will absolutely backfire right now. Dean is the people's guy. Roman Reigns does the big charity stuff and Good Morning America spot and Hot 97, Dean is the guy who shows up on your local news station and tells stories of why you should show up to RAW. That's not imagery or romanticizing, that's for real. Roman doesn't go to local and do that. Dean Ambrose feels like one of us and that's a connection not many other have and he's believable.
They're finally moving Ambrose away from just being "a lunatic" to a guy who is persistent and will go through hell to succeed. He actuallynever gives up. It's absolute fire. It has wheels and gets over as a face. So, why not tell the natural story you have? Dean Ambrose has always been upfront and honest about all of this. He's said that if him and Roman were in the ring, he'd punch him. He'd fight him because it's about the championship. And whoever wins wins. With Roman, he's the Authority's guy. It's who they want. If he loses at Fast Lane, maybe the message the Authority has been trying to hammer in to him finally sets in and he starts to get jealous after getting their so many times, but not being able to retain. The Authority finally gets to Roman and they get their guy, slowly but surely. And after Wrestlemania, you create two stars and start to unravel a major feud with your biggest asset and face, Dean Ambrose, and your new top monster heel, Roman Reigns. Both in the roles they should be in right now.
And there's not a huge adjustment you need to make with Reigns. He can still be a bad guy heel and do charities and public appearances much like Steph does and say he does it per the Authority. And you can finally pay off the best asset in your company, the guy you've relied on for years, especially when things fell apart.
Very tl;dr-ish, but it was a really interesting take. Really good read for the fellow Ambrose marks.
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