4 theories why Dean Ambrose is still being advertised for WWE shows

Since WWE confirmed in January 2019 that Dean Ambrose will leave the company in April, the Shield member has lost several matches against the likes of EC3, Elias and Drew McIntyre on Raw, while he was not even involved on the card at WrestleMania 35.

Following last Sunday’s event, the former WWE champion was written out of storylines when he was launched through the announce desk by Bobby Lashley on Raw. He then returned after the show, alongside Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, to bid farewell to the crowd in Brooklyn, New York in an off-the-air segment.

It appeared as though Ambrose had said his final goodbye to the WWE Universe after he made his post-Raw speech. However, eagle-eyed fans have spotted that he is still being advertised on WWE’s website to appear at the next three Raw events.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four theories why “The Lunatic Fringe” is included in Raw advertisements despite the fact that he appears to be on his way out of WWE.

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#4 Will the ads change after the Superstar Shake-Up?

The April 15-16 episodes of Raw and SmackDown Live will feature the 2019 Superstar Shake-Up. Very few reports have emerged about who could move where in this year’s roster changes, so the two shows should provide plenty of surprises for the WWE Universe.

Looking at the Raw events that Dean Ambrose is advertised for over the next few weeks, the ‘Featured Superstars’ list also includes Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley, Finn Balor and Sasha Banks.

However, if past Shake-Ups are anything to go by, we usually see Raw Superstars surprisingly turn up on SmackDown Live the day after Raw and they do not necessarily appear on the red brand the previous night.

That means that many of those names above are likely to miss Raw, despite being advertised for the show, and that WWE will almost certainly alter their advertisements for future Raw and SmackDown Live shows once the Superstar Shake-Up is over.

Perhaps Ambrose is just another name on that long list that will be removed following the upcoming roster changes.

#3 He is staying with WWE until the end of April

While it is not known exactly when Dean Ambrose’s WWE deal expires, the term ‘after WrestleMania 35 in April’ has been widely reported with regards to the possible end of his contract over the last few months.

That, of course, could mean the Raw after WrestleMania 35, as last week’s farewell seemed to suggest, or it could mean that he is still contracted to work for WWE up until the end of the month, which might explain why he is listed as a ‘Featured Superstar’ at the next three Raw events.

Last week’s attack at the hands of Bobby Lashley seemed like a very underwhelming way for Ambrose to bow out, especially when you consider that he appears to have handled his departure professionally by losing to Superstars who, in all honesty, he should probably be defeating (e.g. Elias and EC3).

If he really is sticking around until the end of April, then perhaps there is an outside chance that we could see the Shield member compete in one last match on Raw before bidding farewell for good, this time on television as opposed to a post-show segment.

#2 He is staying with WWE

Despite the various losses on Raw and apparent farewell speech in Brooklyn, there is still lots of speculation that Dean Ambrose could remain with WWE.

As for Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, they have different outlooks on their fellow Shield member’s contract situation, with Reigns telling reporters last month:

"It concerns me a bit - the last thing I want is for one of my good friends to leave but as long as he's happy and healthy we'll be good. We'll still talk all the time but this is WWE and you never know what's going to happen."

Rollins said during a ‘WWE Now’ video last week:

"I never imagined the three of us working anywhere else or not being here. It’s gonna be weird to come into the locker room and he’s not there and knowing he’s not coming back anytime soon. It tugs on my heartstrings but I support him in whatever decision he’s gonna make."

While Rollins is resigned to losing his former tag partner, Reigns has repeatedly stated in recent interviews that he is hopeful that Ambrose will stay, so perhaps these Raw advertisements are a hint that he has signed a new deal after all.

#1 Card subject to change!

You needn't look any further than the 2019 Royal Rumble for a better example of the biggest disclaimer in WWE history: ‘Card subject to change.’

WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw, revolved around Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman from November 2018 to January 2019, with Strowman having to earn his opportunity to face “The Beast” at the Rumble by defeating Baron Corbin at TLC.

Once that task was accomplished, the build to Lesnar vs. Strowman continued for another four weeks until, out of absolutely nowhere, Vince McMahon removed “The Monster Among Men” from the match and switched it to Lesnar vs. Finn Balor.

On the same card, John Cena had been advertised throughout January to participate in the Royal Rumble, despite already revealing in media interviews that he would be flying to Canada a week before the event to begin shooting a new movie.

As it turned out, on the day of the Rumble, WWE announced that Cena had an ‘injury’ and he could not compete. In hindsight, it seems that he was only advertised in the first place to build interest ahead of the PPV.

With those recent examples in mind, it would not be a surprise if Dean Ambrose is still being advertised simply to get people talking and wondering if he will stay. After all, every event states ‘card subject to change’, so nobody can complain if he doesn’t show!