Dean Ambrose, Nia Jax, AEW and WWE’s Talent Situation

The announcement of Dean Ambrose’s upcoming departure from WWE has taken the wrestling world by storm. Where did this come from? Why is this happening? At what point did Dean decide that he was finished with the nonsense in Vince McMahon’s company? Was that even the case?

While everyone has questions, no one seems to have answers. That’s mostly due to Ambrose himself, who is notorious for being a recluse on social media. While fans furiously Tweet, Dean Ambrose just sits back and watches the world burn. So he’s not talking and WWE will likely not delve any further into the specifics of his situation. The company has said what it has to say and there’s really nothing left to say. But fans are surely wondering if this is the first sign of an exodus that is only just beginning.

That may, or may not, be a fair assessment of course. After all, Dean’s situation is Dean’s alone. That means only he knows what he’s been through and only he knows what’s best for him. Supposedly, Dean has been unhappy with his creative direction in WWE. Of course that’s likely also the case for other Superstars, many of whom may remain silent while fans speculate. 

But how long will that silence truly remain? All Elite Wrestling is hitting the ground running. The new company founded by Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks is making deals and signing talent. AEW doesn’t have a TV deal yet however, but it’s probably coming later in 2019. The company needs talent. More importantly, it needs established stars.

Watch Dean Ambrose get clipped by Nia Jax on Raw!

Nia Jax attacks Dean Ambrose: Raw, Jan. 28, 2019

This is where guys like Ambrose come in. Everyone’s first assumption is that Dean Ambrose will indeed join AEW and that’s understandable. After all, Dean does have a solid fanbase and much of that fanbase knew him when he was Jon Moxley. Those fans will surely continue to support him when his time with WWE is up. So if he does sign with AEW, he should definitely bring some supporters with him.

But the story doesn’t end with Ambrose. Hideo Itami requested his release from WWE and the company granted that request. Dolph Ziggler has supposedly not been too happy with his place in the company and the same is reportedly true of The Revival as well. Do all of these talents merely just want more than what WWE is giving them? Or is all of this coming from the fact that there’s a new promotion in town?

All Elite Wrestling is throwing a lot of money around. Everyone in the business knows that AEW needs a roster and t’s only logical that talents would reach out. It’s also logical that AEW would reach out as well. So perhaps all of this is just the beginning. While insiders don’t expect that All Elite Wrestling will immediately be a true competitive threat to WWE, the fact is that shots will likely still be fired. Maybe the war has begun already.

But how will WWE respond? While some believe that the Ambrose situation is a work, the fact is that there’s just no way to know for certain. If it’s legit, then WWE’s announcement may be just a more creative way of doing business. Oftentimes Superstars either don’t know their fate, or they’re relegated to working the curtain jerk matches, where they lose nearly every time. Either way, WWE deals with them on its own terms and fans typically don’t know why that Superstar’s career suffers a downturn until it’s over.

Listen to Dean sound off on Nia Jax!

Dean Ambrose sounds off following Nia Jax confrontation: Raw Exclusive, Jan. 28, 2019

However WWE has already shown its hand with Ambrose. Fans know he’s on the way out. So if he suddenly falls below mid-card status and starts working the first match, then it will be obvious that WWE is killing him. Of course Dean could disappear from TV altogether, which would definitely be ample evidence that the company has already moved on from him.

It’s indeed a bizarre situation and the payoff to that situation, if there is one, is just impossible to see right now. Perhaps his desire to leave has nothing to do with AEW. Perhaps he’s just burned out and in need of a change. The Shield has been at the forefront of the company over the past several years and during that run, Ambrose was elevated to the top as WWE champion. But he struggled through one silly storyline after another along the way and maybe all of that was just too much too take.

Dean is obviously in a position in which he doesn’t have to take it anymore. There are indeed options out there for him. If WWE’s big idea of a sendoff involves him putting over Nia Jax on the way out, then he’s probably making the right move. Jax hasn’t proven anything in her time in WWE, other than she’s too rough around the edges. 

She was going nowhere in the women’s division and it was obvious that her character was dying a slow death. So WWE’s solution is to work her against the men and use Ambrose to put her over in the process? Is that a groundbreaking piece of booking that a talent like Dean Ambrose can live with?

The fact is that there’s likely more to come. Anything can happen and anything can change. But Dean’s situation, though unique, perhaps won’t be the last of its nature. There seems to be a vibe in WWE right now that better opportunities are just over the horizon. But in order to get those opportunities, talents may have to leave WWE behind. Despite what happens with Dean Ambrose, it’s obvious that this situation is far from over.

 

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