10 Wrestlers WWE Are Currently Dropping The Ball With
3. Dean Ambrose
This time last year, Dean Ambrose was the hottest wrestler in the company. He generated incredible buzz by scooping the Money In The Bank briefcase at the 2016 pay-per-view, then cashing-in on Seth Rollins the same night. Finally, ‘The Lunatic Fringe’ was receiving the kind of push his popularity warranted, and when he followed up with a pinfall on Roman Reigns at Battleground, his top tier status was cemented.
Unfortunately, Ambrose has been on the decline ever since. He lost the belt to AJ Styles, then found himself dragged down in the James Ellsworth storyline, before moving into a feud with The Miz. Dean took the Intercontinental Championship, but his reign was characterised by a paucity of title defences, and his popularity declined along with the belt’s prestige.
His character is the biggest issue. Ambrose is fantastic when he’s allowed to be ‘The Lunatic Fringe,’ slipping into 'prop comic' mode makes him insufferable. The company have succeeded in making him look like a wacky goofball rather than an unhinged madman, and until this is rectified, it’ll be impossible to take him seriously as a top guy again. His current persona comes with a midcard ceiling, and Ambrose won’t be rebuilt until it’s rectified.