10 Big Mistakes WWE Can't Afford To Make At TLC 2016
1. Dean Ambrose: Two-Time Champion
Dean Ambrose embarked on a solid 84-day run as WWE Champion after cashing-in on Seth Rollins at Money In The Bank, but it ended at AJ Styles’ hands at Backlash. The Lunatic Fringe hasn’t given-up his chase, however, and with John Cena off television, he has been Styles’ main rival for the bulk of The Phenomenal One’s run.
The Brand Split has been kind to Ambrose. He often veers back into tiresome rodeo clown territory, but being away from Rollins & Reigns has let him come into his own as a character. For the first time in a long time, Ambrose feels genuinely edgy, and he’s not conforming to strict babyface tropes either. The Dolph Ziggler feud proved that Ambrose isn’t afraid of dabbling in shades of grey when necessary, and it helped improve his character depth tenfold.
Ambrose would make a fine World Champion, but switching the belt would be a mistake here. Styles worked for close to 20 years to earn his spot in WWE, and he has been a tremendous heel champion. He looks a lot more comfortable as an obnoxious, cocksure villain than he did as a babyface, and with a potential Undertaker showdown on the cards, he has plenty left to do as champion.
Styles is the right man to lead SmackDown at the moment. He’s en route to becoming WWE’s franchise player, and as the consensus best wrestler in the world, Styles is the perfect figurehead. If Dean’s ever to end his reign, it should be much further down the line.