3 Reasons why Dean Ambrose should join AEW

Rumors abound that former WWE, Intercontinental and United States Champion, Dean Ambrose is set to leave WWE after WrestleMania 35, when his current contract is set to expire.

For Ambrose, the timing of his three year deal expiring, could not come at a better time. His headline push, following his return in August 2018 has stalled. Even with his good friend, Roman Reigns on the shelf indefinitely, which opened up a main event spot, Ambrose has not smashed through the glass ceiling. Instead, the brass ring has been grabbed by his other Shield brethren, Seth Rollins, who was the winner of the 2019 Royal Rumble and is set to challenge Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania.

Ambrose defeated Rollins to win the Intercontinental Title in a featured bout at December's TLC pay per view. However, his superiority over Rollins was for naught when he was shockingly upended by a directionless, Bobby Lashley on the January 14, 2019 episode of Raw. His title reign lasted less than a month.

Suddenly, it was Ambrose who was without a purpose in a storyline. He was eliminated very early from the Royal Rumble match, when in previous years he has been a fixture in the annual spectacular's concluding stages.

The message was clear. Ambrose is not a major star in WWE anymore. Therefore the breaking news that Ambrose may soon depart the company, perhaps should not come as a major shock.

What is left for him to do in WWE anyway?

The timing of his contract expiration may also be opportune due to the realistic possibility that All Elite Wrestling may be interested in the former WWE Champion.

Why wouldn't they be? Ambrose, at 33 years of age, has a long future ahead of him and is an established star. He would perhaps be the second biggest name to mainsteam audience in the company behind Chris Jericho, although he wouldn't be able to use his WWE-owned "Dean Ambrose" name.

Jon Moxley may have a future in AEW though.

SK looks at the three focal reasons, why Ambrose should make the jump to Cody and company.

#3 WWE no longer sees Dean Ambrose as a major star

Dean Ambrose was manhandled by Nia Jax on the January 28, Raw

Dean Ambrose has not had a good January 2019. Firstly, he dropped the Intercontinental Title to Bobby Lashley, he contested a far too competitive match-up with an opening card act, Apollo Crews, he was dumped out of the Royal Rumble long before its conclusion and perhaps the most worrying of all, he was humiliated by a female performer, Nia Jax on the January 28, Raw.

Ambrose had just lost a bout with his former buddy, Seth Rollins when he took the house microphone and was about to address the live crowd. However, he was confronted by former Raw Women's Champion, Nia Jax and when he disrespected her, she smashed him in the back and sent him flying through the ropes.

Now, Jax is a formidable competitor, no doubt and there is no shame in being knocked down by her. However, when judged in the context of main event players such as Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins or AJ Styles; would any of those be booked to look inferior to Jax?

Would Stone Cold or The Rock in a period where intergender wrestling was much more common?

No. It wouldn't happen. Raw underlined that WWE no longer sees Ambrose as a headline star.

#2 There is nothing left for Dean Ambrose to do in WWE

Dean Ambrose burst onto the scene in November 2012 as part of The Shield triumvirate with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.

Ambrose, as the most charismatic and experienced of the three, was expected to be the breakout star. Indeed, he was the first one of the squad to win a singles title, the United States belt, that he held for almost a year. Reigns and Rollins spent their time competing in the tag team ranks.

However, it was Reigns and Rollins who both received hefty main event pushes and featured in WrestleMania matches whilst Ambrose floundered. He was disrespected by Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32, as the current Universal Champion intentionally sandbagged Ambrose and made him look like a jobber. The fact Lesnar reserved this behavior for Ambrose and Ambrose alone in his 2012 to present day run speaks volumes, as unprofessional as that behavior is.

Perhaps to make up for the Lesnar diss, Ambrose was given a short WWE title run in the summer of 2016 but bombed as champion. He was humiliatingly left off the main card of WrestleMania 33, the following year.

After reuniting and splitting with The Shield, and holding the mid-card belts on several occasions, one has to wonder, is there anything left for him to do in WWE in 2019?

#1 Dean Ambrose will be a main eventer in AEW

Dean Ambrose: Main event career to be resurrected in AEW?

The number one attraction for Dean Ambrose in joining AEW would surely be the likelihood that he would be pushed as a headline star.

Of the roster already announced for AEW, only Cody Rhodes and Chris Jericho currently stand out as legitimate main event stars, capable of pulling in large audiences for house shows and potentially television too.

Obviously, Kenny Omega should he sign with AEW, would be their top star, but his best foe at the top of the card could well be the former Jon Moxley, Dean Ambrose.

Even without the Ambrose name, Ambrose is a big name star, with over six years exposure in the biggest wrestling company on the planet. Still in his prime, Ambrose would be a major "get" for AEW and would instantly be on of their top names and biggest stars.

Most importantly, AEW can afford him. They may even offer him more money than WWE pay him currently.

Most importantly, after six years in WWE, he would massively benefit from a change of scenery and brand new opponents.

Ambrose could be reborn in AEW; which is why it has to happen.