10 Times WWE Found It Hard To Say Goodbye
3. Dean Ambrose
When The Shield arrived in 2012, they dominated WWE, remaining undefeated for almost five months. However, when the group inevitably split, the members went on to have varying singles careers. Roman Reigns became the company's face, and Seth Rollins remained a constant in the main event scene. On the other hand, Dean Ambrose travelled through many peaks and valleys without being presented as a true top player, despite a WWE Title reign.
In 2018, Ambrose knew he was done. He felt his character took a turn for the worst, and it was as though WWE wanted him to be more of a 'Looney Tunes Fringe' than a lunatic. Ambrose wanted none of it, as his tenure wore him down, leaving him without the energy for another creative battle.
When WWE couldn't convince 'The Lunatic Fringe' to stay, he was booked on the wrong end of several no-disqualification matches as well as lacklustre segments. Ambrose was sick of showing up to work, but he persevered. As one more jab before he took off, WWE only paid Ambrose $500 for his last Shield appearance during an event squarely focused on the group.
The two left on bitter terms, and since this departure, Ambrose has been quite critical of WWE during numerous interviews. In the end, though, leaving WWE did wonders for Ambrose, as he now enjoys a much better run as Jon Moxley in AEW.