#2 Intercontinental champion on SmackDown
![Dean Ambrose](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=190 190w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=720 720w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=640 640w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2018/03/a6b44-1520061826-800.jpg 1920w)
When the Shield first split, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins were pushed to the main event, while Dean was relegated to the lower mid-card.
In fact, Dean went months after the split without gaining one single win on PPV events. He started to be seen as that guy who always tries really hard but never quite makes it.
The fans, however, took a shine to the Lunatic Fringe, cheering for him much more loudly than his fellow Shield alums. In wrestling, the fans are the true bosses, and the WWE responded by giving Dean a run with the prestigious Intercontinental championship.
Edited by Shruti Sadbhav