10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE Champion Dean Ambrose

He wasn't always a wise-cracking prop comic.

Dean Ambrose WWE champion
WWE.com

New WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dean Ambrose is known today as a breezy, sarcastic, sometime talk show host. Though he has a penchant for smashing his foes with weapons, the results vary. His choices range from awesome (kendo stick) to thoroughly ineffective (potted plant) and, infuriatingly, some like Chekhov's chainsaw aren't even used at all.

You might think, then, that he is a care-free chap simply appropriating an extreme schtick in PG WWE. That may be true of Dean Ambrose, but it isn't true of Jon Moxley...

Real name Jonathan Good, he began his wrestling career on the sadistic fringes of America's hardcore independent scene, paying his dues in a particularly painful way. Navigating his way through a procession of garbage-leaning (and in some cases, garbage quality) promotions, Moxley had the, ahem, good sense to hone the technical aspects of his craft alongside the brawling prowess with which he made his name. Ambrose has led a more interesting life and carved out a more interesting path to WWE stardom than most. Here, we present to you 10 facts you may not know about him...

10. He Might Actually Be Legitimately Crazy

Dean Ambrose WWE champion
WWE/NJPW

Why else would you criticise John Cena in public?!

Well - 'criticise' might be a stretch. Ambrose did however, when talking to Rolling Stone in 2014, call attention to the formulaic nature of John Cena's babyface comeback, bemoaning its lack of originality ('Why does everything have to be locked in a box?').

Acknowledging Cena's limitations is a definite no-no in WWE. You don't necessarily have to be crazy not to know that - just profoundly stupid. While his reputation is one of a hard-working and humble talent, Cena, as the undisputed top star in all of pro wrestling, has in the past used his considerable power to derail several careers - and not just between the ropes with his premature comebacks and inconsistent selling.

Ambrose's transgression - if you can call it that - isn't anywhere near as bad or reckless as Ken 'Kenny Dykstra' Doane's suicide mission. This saw him kamikaze his own career by blaming Cena for the break-up of his relationship with Mickie James. With that in mind, you'd think twice about saying anything which might even be perceived as a slight - that's if you were operating with a full set of garden tools, that is.

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Contributor
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!