7 Major Dean Ambrose WWE Matches That Totally Disappointed
Will AJ Styles fall victim to the "Dean Ambrose Curse"?
There is little doubt that Dean Ambrose is one of the most talented performers on the WWE roster today, both inside the ring and on the microphone, and surely earned the right to call himself the WWE World champion. While even the greatest wrestlers have an “off” day, it seems as if Ambrose turns in underwhelming performances more often than he should be.
Perhaps Stone Cold Steve Austin had a point when he criticised Ambrose during their controversial WWE Network podcast several weeks back for being too comfortable and resting on his laurels. But this hasn't been an issue with Ambrose only recently, as there have been a handful of matchups he's had over the course of his career in WWE that have fallen well below expectations for whatever reason.
In the three months he reigned as champion, he successfully defended his title against the likes of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dolph Ziggler. At Backlash, he faced his toughest challenge to date in the form of AJ Styles, who is widely regarded as the best all-around competitor in the company at the moment.
The Phenomenal One found instant chemistry with The Lunatic Fringe and contested something of a minor classic, but will he too fall victim to the “Ambrose curse” in their inevitable rematch, similar to these seven disappointing duds?
7. Dean Ambrose Vs. Luke Harper (Extreme Rules 2015)
Despite being a prominent player in WWE in the final few months of 2014, Dean Ambrose was largely directionless heading into 2015. He was merely an afterthought in the Intercontinental Championship Ladder match at WrestleMania 31 and was even on the receiving end of a powerbomb through a ladder at ringside at the hands of Luke Harper, rendering him unable to compete for the remainder of the matchup.
On the bright side, a rivalry with Harper was born from that, and the timing couldn't have been better with Extreme Rules right around the corner. Both men were notorious for their brutal bouts on the independent scene, and thus a Chicago Street Fight would undoubtedly play to their strengths. Or, so it seemed.
They definitely incorporated a few hardcore elements into their match, but it was rather tame compared to what fans expected from them. Worse yet, they had the chance to go outside of the box and get creative when Ambrose and Harper exited the arena together in a car halfway through their contest. They simply returned to the ring an hour later without any explanation in regards to their whereabouts.
It was a fine match for what it was, but it still left fans fairly underwhelmed.