Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose isn't new to the world of wrestling. On the road to earning the notoriety and credibility he has today, Ambrose has faced many obstacles, but didn't allow those challenges to dictate his career path; rather he created one all his own.
These challenges helped strengthen his resolve, an attribute that contributed to him earning the opportunity to carry the WWE World championship. After The Shield split up, many wondered what would eventually become of him. It didn't happen immediately, but Ambrose's main event run has materialised, and with great success.
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One of the biggest challenges Ambrose has faced is that he hasn’t been convincing as either a face or heel, but remaining true to himself while developing the Lunatic Fringe character. As seen in his interview with ‘Stone Cold' Steve Austin a while back, Ambrose is just as laid-back as the character he portrays. He is able to turn on the charm when pushed and deliver compelling promos.
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A thirteen-year veteran of the ring, Ambrose has scratched and clawed his way to the top. He has faced some of the best in the world and come out better for it afterwards. Here are five things you probably didn't know about Dean Ambrose.
#5. The Lunatic Fringe competed briefly for Ring of Honor
As many may already know, Ambrose's time in the ring doesn't just include his time developing with FCW, which later became NXT, and then WWE's main roster. Close followers of Ambrose's past will recall that his early success happened while competing for Combat Zone Wrestling.
For those unaware, CZW could be described as the modern-day version of ECW, where risk-taking is simply an expectation of the talent. Whether it was using barbed wire or smashing an opponent's head with a fluorescent light tube, Ambrose was a willing participant in such matchups.
What many fans may not know, however, is that during his time competing on the independent circuit he competed in a promotion with the most ravenous fans. In 2007, he competed on two separate occasions for Ring of Honor.
At the time the promotion was run by Gabe Sapolsky, and Ambrose first competed in a tag match alongside Alex Payne, against Bobby Dempsey and Rhett Titus. On the other occasion, he faced Mitch Franklin in a match that was untelevised. On both occasions, the former WWE world champion and current Intercontinental champion was unsuccessful.
#4. Ambrose dropped out of high school a year after beginning training to become a wrestler
In life, everyone has their personal strengths. For some people, their strengths are using their hands, leading to their becoming mechanics, sculptures and painters. In other instances, their strength is academics, and they will strive to become doctors, lawyers and accountants.
For Dean Ambrose, his career path would be defined by where his passions lay. He knew as a teenager that in order for him to be successful in his chosen profession, he needed to show commitment, a level of commitment that has helped make him the star he is today.
After seeing a flyer, promoting a Heartland Wrestling Association show in his home of Cincinnati, he decided to attend. HWA was run by Les Thatcher, and after a year of training under him, Ambrose decided to drop out of high school.
Ambrose talked on Steve Austin's Stone Cold podcast about how school didn't motivate him, and he didn't see the point. Having been true to himself, Ambrose doesn't have any regrets about the decision he made, and has parlayed his dedication into becoming the best possible performer he could be.
#3. Professional wrestling as an escape from Dean's childhood
Nothing in life comes without work and effort. In order to achieve success, there needs to be some dedication and a desire to achieve. What presents even more of a challenge is when there are external forces that could prevent you from achieving success.
That is where it takes a very special individual to overcome those odds and break through. For Dean Ambrose, wrestling has always been his career path and a dream that he had to achieve in order to overcome the unforgiving realities life.
As a young man growing up in some of the more dangerous parts of Cincinnati, Ambrose was surrounded by violence. It appeared as though at every turn there was a challenge to overcome, not only to make a living but to continue living.
He had to sell drugs in order to not be beaten up. He found himself getting into fights while simply walking down the street. He needed a way out, and that way out was wrestling. There is no guarantee that Ambrose would be alive today if he continued to live the kind of life he was living.
#2. His earlier jobs while training to wrestle included working concessions and setting up the ring
Every aspiring wrestlers will discuss the ups and downs that come with the job. As mentioned earlier, Ambrose left school and pursued wrestling at a young age. However, before he could even begin to train, he needed to follow the rules and do any and everything that was asked of him, in order to demonstrate his dedication to becoming a wrestler.
Before anyone can earn a successful living, there will have stories of odd jobs they had, growing up. While some will discuss working in a supermarket as a stock boy, others will discuss having a paper route.
For Dean Ambrose, his willingness to become a wrestler meant he had to show Les Thatcher, owner and promoter of HWA, what he was willing to do. Before he could train to become a wrestler, Ambrose would assemble and disassemble the rings before and after each event. This isn't an uncommon task for independent wrestlers today. However, in Dean's case, he was doing this before he even turned 18.
This wasn't the only job Ambrose had at the time, as he also worked the concession stands, selling merchandise and food to the audience.
#1. The “Lunatic Fringe” is a reflection of his early upbringing
Wrestling is the most believable when the characters are believable. Today's wrestler is unlikely to convince anyone that they are actually a clown or a sanitation engineer. They need to have a character that is steeped in reality. In order for their characters to make a connection with the fans, in order to get them to cheer or jeer, there has to be something authentic about them.
While in FCW and then on the main roster, Ambrose initially appeared to be a character that didn't have much direction, making it hard for fans to either love or hate him. So when he began to take the risks that he takes now, whether it is his dives to the outside of the ring or attacking his opponents after coming through the crowd, he saw greater success because it was believable.
It demonstrated a daring attitude that is based in reality. As mentioned previously, being surrounded by crime and homelessness caused him to fight back. His rough exterior is a reflection of a tough life, as is the proverbial chip that he has on his shoulder each time he competes. Living in those conditions would surely drive anyone mad!
