After the events of SmackDown Live, Dean Ambrose should be turning heel soon.
Dean Ambrose faced AJ Styles for the main event of SmackDown Live this week. If Ambrose could beat Styles, he would then become the No. 1 contender for the WWE title. Right before the match, The Lunatic Fringe allowed James Ellsworth to accompany him to the ring for his match. The decision, however, proved to be quite costly.
Multiple times during the match, Styles tried to attack Ellsworth. Ambrose also found himself getting distracted often trying to protect his friend. However, the fun and games took a turn for worse when Ellsworth blasted Styles with a superkick. Unfortunately for Ambrose, this happened right in front of the official. As a result, Styles won the match by disqualification and Ambrose is no longer the No. 1 contender for the title.
This was a case of booking genius by the creative team. The storyline can take multiple narratives from this point. Moreover, Ambrose’s character has gotten soft in recent times. WWE needs to bring back an edgier version of him and do it soon. The ideal way to do that would be to turn him heel. Here are three reasons why he should turn heel.
With this in mind, here are three reasons why Dean Ambrose should turn heel.
WWE.com
3. James Ellsworth
James Ellsworth; WWE’s resident jobber, the one man who was brought to relevance by Dean Ambrose, cost him the match. This was a case of booking genius by the creative team. The storyline can take multiple narratives from this point with one of those being Ambrose turning heel on Ellsworth. WWE teased the possibility of that in this week’s Talking Smack.
BRYAN: “Would you consider yourself and Dean Ambrose friends?”
JAMES: “Probably not anymore…” #TalkingSmack@RealEllsworthpic.twitter.com/DjsTk3GztV— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) October 26, 2016
Dean Ambrose isn’t called the Lunatic Fringe for nothing. He is a very dangerous man when you get on his nerve, which Ellsworth might have just done. If The Lunatic Fringe indeed shows up next week and beats the hell out of Ellsworth, that would be quite the sight. Not only does that plant Ambrose as a legitimate heel, it will place a ton of heat on him as well.
Ellsworth is a beloved presence, but his intention was good but rather dumb. Styles attacked him multiple times throughout the match and he fought back at the one opportunity given. Unfortunately for Ellsworth, that turned out to be the end of Ambrose’s title dreams. If Ambrose indeed attacks Ellsworth next week or the week after, that will be an ideal way to set his heel run in motion.
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2. Stagnant Character
When Dean Ambrose defended his title against AJ Styles, midway through the match, fans were chanting for the champion. Despite being the heel, they were calling his name and wanting Styles to go over. The reasons fans turned on the former United States Champion was because of his flat character. Ever since he turned face and especially, after winning the WWE title, Ambrose has become stale.
The name “Lunatic Fringe” doesn’t match his persona anymore. There is only so much an insane face character could do. He cannot go around beating people up and causing chaos, which is what a heel does. More importantly, that is what Ambrose does best. He can never be a true face. At best, he can be an anti-hero who still has his evil ways.
Many people including Stone Cold has called out the Lunatic Fringe for being lazy as of late. A major part of that can be attributed to his character as of now. Ambrose as a face is stale and very much raw. There is no development or room for improvement. He needs to go back to his Shield roots and be the unstable and maniacal heel once again.
WWE.com
1. Better Use of His Mic Skills
Ever since Dean Ambrose turned face, his mic skills have sort of diminished over time. Week after week he comes out and repeats the same things over and over again. Once Ambrose lost the WWE title,he did gain some of the original intensity he possessed. However, he is still missing the edge that made him popular.
The reason for this is simple—a face cannot be as expressive on the mic as a heel. The spectrum of emotions a face can portray on the mic and in the ring is limited to the good ones. He cannot issue threats the way he used to during his SHIELD days or when he began stalking Seth Rollins. Being a heel, Ambrose will have the freedom to express a wider range of negativity.
The former WWE World Champion has a lot of potential and dark energy that he needs to tap into. An edgier version of The Lunatic Fringe used to remind us of Heath Ledger’s Joker from Dark Knight. That captivating factor is missing from his character nowadays. The effects of that are clearly visible whenever he is on the mic as well and needs to return to his old ways. Ambrose must turn heel to evolve into the next phase of his character and in-ring persona eventually.
If Ambrose does not attack Ellsworth and remains a face, that takes a lot away from his character. Ambrose isn’t essentially the forgiving good guy. He is a relentless lunatic who won’t rest until he gets his hands on what he wants. Forgiving the lovable loser for an honest mistake that cost Dean his title dreams isn’t what a Lunatic does.
The coming episode of SmackDown Live should be really intriguing. Will Dean Ambrose make a heel turn that would reinvigorate his character? Or would he remain a face that would continue to stagnate his momentum? Will another superstar step into the limelight to face AJ Styles? The questions are plenty heading into SmackDown Live next week.
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