Is Dean Ambrose Headed to the Top of WWE as the New Number One Heel?

Dean Ambrose’s heel turn on WWE Monday Night Raw is one of the most shocking moments in recent company history. Not only did The Lunatic Fringe betray his bother Seth Rollins, Dean also did it on the same night that Roman Reigns announced his leukemia was back. 

Now The Big Dog is out and The Shield is in ruins. Rollins is on his own and fans are trying to understand the ramifications of it all. Right now the argument is “why is WWE doing this,” versus “this is great storytelling.” However no matter which side fans take, the fact is that Dean Ambrose is now heading for a major spot in WWE whether anyone realizes it or not.

This is not something that Dean can easily come back from. This was not the same guy that didn’t trust Seth after The Kingslayer recently tried to make amends for destroying The Shield back in 2014. That Dean Ambrose was wholly justified in his apprehension and everyone knew it. Dean didn’t trust anyone in the company after Rollins left him for dead. The only man that Ambrose did trust was Reigns and that relationship could change at any moment if a championship was thrown into the mix.

This Dean Ambrose forgave Seth for joining The Authority four years ago. Ambrose knew that was ancient history, a badly damaged bridge that was not fully burned beyond repair. Rollins had won the trust and admiration of the WWE fanbase like no one ever really has. Seth became the hottest property in WWE and fans had no reason not to love him.

Watch Dean’s shocking turn on Seth: 

Dean Ambrose unleashes a stunning assault on Seth Rollins: Raw, Oct. 22, 2018

Yes, Rollins had given into temptation. He wanted to be on top and he sold his soul for10 pounds of championship gold. But Seth learned what happens when a man sells his soul to the devil and he fought hard to get that soul back. He managed to do that and he gained a loyal fan following along the way.

But Dean didn’t turn for money. He didn’t turn for the promise of world title glory. In fact, no one really knows why Ambrose turned, at least not yet. He’s not revealed the reasons why and when he does, will it even matter? Can Dean Ambrose say anything that will justify betraying Seth Rollins on the night when Roman walked away?

The entire episode of Raw following Roman’s opening promo was somber. The mood was unlike anything fans had seen in a very long time. It was as if someone had passed away and the pain of the loss was hanging heavy over the program. Longtime fans have seen this type of show before and they remember what it felt like. This was eerily similar in many ways.

Therein lays one of the most brilliant booking decisions that WWE has made in this modern era. Roman’s shocking departure could have been mentioned occasionally during the course of the three hour program. The company could have chosen to move on from the spot and refocus its energy on the Universal Championship situation and the upcoming Evolution pay-per-view. 

Watch Seth after Raw goes off the air:

Seth Rollins exits the arena following Ambrose assault: Raw Exclusive, Oct. 22, 2018

But instead, WWE continues replaying Reigns’ promo multiple times over the course of Raw. Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Renee Young tried to power through the broadcast but every time the camera cut to them, each one was teary-eyed. Supportive tweets were shown on the screen and read aloud for the whole world to see and hear. It was obvious that this edition of Monday Night Raw was less about entertainment and more about reflection. Pro wrestling was taking a backseat to reality and that was okay.

But when Ambrose turned, the pro wrestling suddenly came back with a vengeance. WWE had set the table with heartfelt sentiment and emotional outpourings of affection in almost every segment. The audience had been prepped for a victory in the end. They were ready for it. So when they were met with shock and betrayal, it meant so much more. This one bit of booking will make all the difference in how fans receive Dean Ambrose from this point on.

Dean could not have turned heel on Roman Reigns. Roman would never have gotten over on a heel Ambrose. Dean as a babyface is dangerous, clever and cool, which means it’s hard enough getting over on him then. Dean Ambrose as a heel would have been dangerous, clever and cool as well. Nothing would have changed. Even if he had done the unthinkable and aligned himself with Triple H as Rollins did in 2014, Dean still would have been cheered.

But to turn against Seth Rollins when the real world had invaded WWE and left their best friend’s future in doubt? That is an unforgivable sin. Family doesn’t turn on each other when a crisis happens; families pull together. This is what the WWE Universe, as well as The Shield, was doing. But now that’s over. 

Watch Roman backstage after his promo:

Superstars show support for Roman Reigns following his emotional announcement: Oct. 22, 2018

Despite what reason Ambrose gives, there will no acceptance from the WWE fanbase. Dean was indeed popular but he would never be so popular that fans wouldn’t turn on him for doing what he did to his brothers. This Dean Ambrose is playing for keeps and chances are, there’s much more to come.

Ambrose has a world of momentum right now. The only question is, what will WWE do with it? If WWE gives him the chance to be as vile and contemptible as he can be, then there may be no stopping him. Dean could become the most hated heel that the company has seen in years. The best part about Ambrose is that he won’t give this away. 

Fans won’t see him laughing it off on Twitter or Facebook. There’s no danger of him posting pics of himself with Seth on Instagram. In this modern era of technology in the business, Dean Ambrose conducts himself like a man out of time. He rejects social media for all the right reasons and that will serve him well with this new spin on his character. Dean is ready for whatever WWE wants from him and now it’s up to the company to book him accordingly.

If WWE allows him to grow in this role and if he gets the right opportunities to shine, he will be bigger than ever before. For years, Dean Ambrose was thought of as the third link in The Shield’s chain. But now he’s broke out on his own and he’s a bigger star than anyone around him. This turn is still fresh and there’s no way to know what will happen next. But Dean is capable of doing great things with this. With any luck, WWE sees that as well.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live