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Over the past one month, Dean Ambrose's future in WWE has been a huge talking point in the wrestling community.
It all started with a report from Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch which stated that Lunatic Fringe will refuse to re-sign with the company once his current contract expires in April.
Ambrose's frustration with the creative team was said to be a major reason why the former Intercontinental Champion decided against re-signing despite being offered a substantial hike in pay.
It seemed like just another case of a superstar being unsatisfied with his creative direction and deciding to leave the company.
But, within hours of this report, WWE issued a statement confirming the report, something that they seldom do, considering how secretive they are with their contract negotiations.
This led many to believe that this is a work and that the company is using Ambrose's departure as a part of a storyline. While it is too early to decide whether or not it is at the moment, all signs are pointing towards Ambrose leaving the company for good.
While it is certainly bad news for the fans of Dean Ambrose, it is very good news for fans of Jon Moxley, Dean's ring name, during his stint in the independent circuit.
There are a plethora of dream matches that fans would love Ambrose, once he steps away from WWE. Here are our picks for the top five dream opponents for Dean Ambrose outside of the WWE:
#5 Cody
With the announcement of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Cody has become one of the most influential superstars in the business today. The newly-formed wrestling promotion has been able to capture the imagination of wrestling fans across the globe.
The promotion's first event, Double or Nothing, sold out in less than five minutes, which is nothing short of mind-boggling.
While the promotion already has top-tier talents like PAC, Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho, the company needs a few top stars and we believe that Ambrose would be a valuable addition to the promotion.
The Lunatic Fringe is a dynamic performer inside the ring and his mic skills are one of the best in the business.
Ambrose has always been someone who is at loggerheads with the authorities and having him feud with an authority figure like Cody will be the perfect way to introduce Ambrose to the AEW crowd.
Ambrose and Cody have previously faced off against one another on WWE TV but their matches weren't noteworthy.
But, a lot has changed over the past few years and we are pretty sure that Ambrose and Cody will put on a clinic if they were to clash once again.
Cody's cocky persona is the perfect foil for Ambrose's lunacy and together this duo will surely create magic inside the squared circle.
#4 Tomohiro Ishii
One of the most underrated wrestlers in New Japan, the Stone Pitbull rarely, if ever, gets the due credit that he deserves.
The former Rev Pro British Heavyweight Champion has had great matches against the likes of Zack Sabre Jr, Kenny Omega and Katsuyori Shibata.
Ishii has held championships outside Japan including the above mentioned Rev Pro British Heavyweight Championship and the ROH World Television Championship.
Ishii has a unique aura about and is quite agile for a man of his size. He is built like a tank and can take a hell lot of punishment during a match without even breaking a sweat, which has earned him the moniker of 'The Stone Pitbull'.
With Kenny Omega and The Elite leaving New Japan for AEW, Ishii is definitely going to be a major player in the company. WIth the kind of resume that he has built over the past few years, we foresee the Stone Pitbull winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the near future.
Ambrose vs Ishii is a match fans would love to see. A match between this duo will be something special and it definitely isn't going to be for the faint-hearted.
#3 Minoru Suzuki
Minoru Suzuki is one of the most accomplished professional wrestlers in the world. The leader of Suzuki Gun is a veteran of the squared circle having debuted in the business in 1988. Suzuki is one of the stiffest wrestlers on the planet with his matches being absolute slugfests as Suzuki being renowned for his shoot, catch style of wrestling.
In addition to all of that, Suzuki is also an accomplished Mixed Martial Arts fighter with 50 pro fights to his name, with a 30-20 record. Suzuki is one of the most prominent figures in the sport, co-founding the Japanese MMA promotion, Pancrase in the year 1993.
Suzuki is a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion and has also won the IWGP Never Openweight Championship once. Ambrose is someone who never backs down from a fight and when are you are up against someone like Minoru Suzuki, except nothing less than straight up cockfight.
Ambrose vs Suzuki is a very interesting match-up, given how very different they are. Expect to see a lot of stiff kicks, thunderous chops, and a big chaotic brawl, if these two were to ever lock horns.
#2 Sami Callihan
Sami Callihan is one of the best things on IMPACT Wrestling right now. The self-proclaimed 'Draw', was one of the first persons on social media to react to Ambrose's departure from WWE.
Ambrose and Callihan have a storied history dating back to their time together in the independent circuit where the duo formed a tag team. In addition to that, both Callihan and Ambrose are Ohio-natives and are renowned for their hardcore death matches.
While IMPACT isn't in the best financial shape right now, Ambrose isn't someone who is in the business for the money. The Lunatic Fringe has stated in various interviews that he loves the business and monetary gain is the least of his concern. With the recent spate of high-profile releases from IMPACT, Ambrose could easily be slotted in the main event scene.
The history between the duo could be used to hype up this dream match. If this match were to materialize, we would like to see it happen under Hardcore rules with barbed wire, thumbtacks, and tube lights. Ambrose and Callihan are renowned for their hardcore style and seeing them beat the hell out of each other will be otherworldly.
#1 Jimmy Havoc
In the WWE Chronicle documentary released after he turned on his Sheild brethren, Seth Rollins, Ambrose hinted at possibly retiring from wrestling. While he is only 33 years old, Ambrose's body has been through a lot over the past one and a half decade that he has spent inside the squared circle. Ambrose has been a part of some of the most gruesome death matches during his time in the independent circuit and that seems to have taken a toll on the body of The Lunatic Fringe.
Ambrose isn't someone who minces his words and if he says that he is nearing the end of his in-ring career, we would like to think that it's true. But before Ambrose rides off into the sunset, there is one dream match that almost every wrestling fan would like him to have.
Jimmy Havoc is considered to be one of the best deathmatch wrestlers of all time. The British wrestling veteran has made a career out of spilling blood and putting his body through every possible pain imaginable. In other words, Havoc has been a true successor to Ambrose's hardcore style in the independent circuit. It would be a travesty if Ambrose were to end his career without ever facing off against the Brit.
One can only imagine the kind of chaos and carnage that will be, Moxley vs Havoc. Havoc has already made his intentions clear by asking for a match against Moxley on Twitter. It is now up to the former Jon Moxley to grant Havoc his wish and give fans a match that they have wanting to see for ages.
