Is Dean Ambrose returning to WWE?

Dean Ambrose, known to AEW fans as Jon Moxley, is a former WWE Champion who was also the eccentric backbone behind one of the most dominant factions of all time - The Shield. Since their surprise debut at Survivor Series 2012, The Hounds of Justice dominated the locker room for eighteen months, destroying certified legends like Randy Orton, Kane, and John Cena.

This past week on WWE RAW, Seth Rollins, The Architect of The Shield, confronted Austin Theory in a fiery promo segment. Theory referred to Rollins as the "third most successful member of The Shield," implying that Ambrose and Roman Reigns were better than him. According to Theory, The Visionary's success was because of his lucky fortunes.

When one mentions The Shield, it is impossible to leave Dean Ambrose out of the picture. The Lunatic Fringe left WWE when his contract expired in late April 2019 and immediately jumped ship to AEW, reviving Jon Moxley and becoming one of the biggest attractions in sports entertainment outside of the Stamford-based promotion.

However, Dean Ambrose's return is essential for a full-fledged Shield reunion, which has been on the fans' wishlist for so long. Although the former Intercontinental Champion has been name-dropped several times since his departure, a sensational comeback is improbable.

Dean Ambrose's WWE return will not happen anytime soon

Jon Moxley recently inked a contract with AEW in October. His new deal will expire in 2027, five years from now, shattering all hopes of a massive Shield reunion in the foreseeable future. For Moxley, this seems like an understandable and logical decision.

The AEW star is Tony Khan's promotion's top guy and also the face. Moxley won the World Championship and wrestled with the cream of the crop, from certified legends like Chris Jericho to arrogant upstarts like Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF). The 37-year-old has achieved incredible heights outside of WWE; thus, there is little incentive for him to return to the company.

WWE experienced a dramatic, creative makeover as Triple H assumed control when Vince McMahon retired in July. This led to speculation that Ambrose may return, but those rumors were soon shut down when he re-signed with AEW.

Considering the circumstances under which Ambrose departed, he doesn't seem keen on returning. As a guest on The Store Horsemen podcast, the AEW stalwart remarked that he would rather work at a grocery store than return to WWE.

On an episode of Talk is Jericho, the former WWE Champion outlined his reasons for his surprise departure. The former Dean Ambrose had issues with the written promos he had to shoot and the lack of creative freedom to showcase his aggressive side.

Given the circumstances right now, Dean Ambrose is nowhere near a WWE return, and a Shield reunion seems virtually impossible.