*This article was written by Guest Writer D.M. Levin
Before Daniel Bryan brought us all to tears with possibly the greatest retirement speech in wrestling history (I am still choking up watching re-winds), Dean Ambrose was doing his own version of bringing down the house. The Intercontinental Champion brought attitude back to WWE and clearly took a step forward as the company’s lead baby-face. What WWE has done is create a bit of controversy even before the Lunatic Fringe mixes it up with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns at Fastlane. Wrestling fans needed something to get excited about besides the fact AJ Styles is the next in line to fill Bryan’s huge boots. Ambrose is every bit the elixir we all need to get over this Reigns hangover there appears to be no cure for. Thanks, Vince McMahon. Once again, you miss the boat and an opportunity to create drama and excitement with a better main event than the one predetermined at WrestleMania 32. No disrespect to Triple H and Reigns – who both could show us all a great time in Dallas – but my money is on 2016 being the year of Ambrose. I am sure my friends Mandy Montgomery and Sarah Hirsch will agree the former Shield member should be who fans get behind in the WM main event, not the guy who we are all waiting to take the next step, and needs Triple H to continually help get him over. Ambrose isn’t the cheeky, good looking guy like Dolph Ziggler, or the robust power wrestler like Lesnar. He is a throwback of sorts, a mix of Bryan Pillman, CM Punk and Steve Austin. A lone wolf and the anti-hero this company desperately needs in the wake of Bryan’s retirement and a bevy of stars still on the mend. Oh, and something about WWE trying to clear its head and still push Reigns over as the top guy when no one on this planet is buying it. Just so you know, Sarah can’t wait to see a Reigns heel turn and along with myself and about five million other wrestling fans, want that to happen the night after WrestleMania 32. Ambrose’s take charge, never give up, always come back and never lie down attitude is reminiscent of the past, when wrestling was about beating the hell out of the opponent, always second guessing the next and changing the landscape of the business on a monthly basis. Ambrose is the best case right now carry the company strap until Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and John Cena come back to life, live in living color or until McMahon comes to his senses and put the strap on Styles for all the world to scream like little girls at a Beatles concert. The irony of Ambrose’s coronation of sorts, coupled with the exit of Bryan adds some intrigue to how the company may want to book matches in the future. If there is a performer on the roster who puts his body out there to be abused nightly – like Bryan before him – Ambrose, with maybe the exception of Bray Wyatt – is the logical choice. I fully expect there to be a confrontation between Ambrose and Lesnar that leads to a match at WrestleMania and a title change for Reigns. That’s how WWE has planned it all along. What I don’t want to see is Ambrose lose his intensity or his momentum with the fans. That would be a huge buzz kill for the company and the waste of a trip down memory lane. Ambrose does not have to be as good as his predecessors. He just needs to be good enough to make us all wish he was like them, and good enough o challenge the best in the business without losing his gimmick.
*Kayfabe Kickout (2012 - 2020) has since rebranded in July, 2020 and is now known as 'Pro Wrestling Slam!'
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