7 Ups And 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (August 27)

5. A Little Less Loony

One of the biggest criticisms against Dean Ambrose’s character the last couple years had to be living “up” to his Lunatic Fringe nickname.

Ambrose was a bit unhinged and “off” as a member of the Shield during their initial run, but after their implosion, Dean became crazier and crazier… and not in a good way. It became cheap laughs and general silliness rather than an unpredictable style. Ambrose looked like less of a threat despite consistently getting a huge reaction from fans.

Fast-forward to his recent return. In addition to hitting the gym, Ambrose seems to have adopted a more serious persona, dialing back on the lunatic tendencies. He still has something “off” about him, but Dean now seems more focused. Witness Monday night’s encounter with Jinder Mahal.

Jinder tried to get Ambrose to meditate, but he instead envisions breaking Mahal’s ribs and inflicting a bunch of pain on him, sending the former world champ scurrying.

It’s not a huge shift, but it’s noticeable enough to merit an “up” here.