Dean Ambrose is heading for the biggest match of his professional wrestling career on April 3rd. On that day, he will step into the ring with WWE’s top attraction Brock Lesnar, in a street fight on the stage that is WrestleMania.
For Ambrose fans, this is a long time coming for The Lunatic Fringe. Merely sharing the ring with The Beast Incarnate is proof of just how much faith the company has in Dean, and it also speaks volumes of Lesnar’s willingness to work with him. But it’s not enough; Ambrose must conquer The Conqueror.
There was likely a time when just the notion of Dean going over on Brock was laughable at best. In fact, there was a time when the notion of anyone going over on Brock was utter nonsense. That was the nature of his booking as WWE’s most indestructible star; he just could not be beaten.
But things have changed in Vince McMahon’s company. Many of the top stars are still on the shelf. John Cena, Randy Orton and Cesaro are all out, while Sting’s future in the ring is in serious doubt. Daniel Bryan is done, and though WWE has moved on, his absence is still being felt.
The WWE product is just not what it once was. The main event holes that exist necessitate something be done with the talents that are still there. This means that guys like Ambrose are getting opportunities and those opportunities must lead to great things.
Simply waiting for Cena and Orton to come back and save the day is just not feasible. Both guys are older and both guys have perhaps seen their best days go by. If there was ever a time for new main event blood to step up and take center stage, it’s now.
Dean is part of that, but if he’s to be taken seriously, he must start getting some serious wins. There can be no more serious win than against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. Lesnar’s aforementioned prowess has become the stuff of legend, as no other Superstar in recent memory has seemingly been given free rein as he has. The only way he can go down is at the hands of a wily veteran like The Undertaker, or at the hands of an unpredictably dangerous rebel like Dean Ambrose.
The Street Fight stipulation has given Dean a chance. He was just another main event hopeful before, but now he’s a main event hopeful with weapons, and that should give him the edge. Of course, it’s not a guarantee of victory but it could be a sign that he’s going over on April 3.
The fact is Brock must still be protected. All of the work that’s been done to promote him as a monster competitor must remain intact, or his own selling point could be affected. After all, what are the chances that he would suddenly drop a pin at Mania against a talent that’s arguably not even on his level, merely because a weapon is involved?
Dean must use every weapon at his disposal. From Mick Foley’s barbed wire baseball bat to Terry Funk’s chainsaw, Ambrose must grab anything and everything he can to gain the advantage. Brock is incredibly strong, he’s incredibly tough, and he has virtually no weakness. But if he takes enough of a beating, then he may just lose focus for three seconds, and that’s all Dean needs to win.
There will be blood in this one. Lesnar has a history of getting color in high profile matches, and this will be no different. But any Ambrose fans that are hoping for a win should remember that Brock is likely going to take the majority of this match. It’s how he’s been booked, and it’s how he works.
Lesnar must rule the ring, he must overpower Dean at every turn and he must bash him to the point of submission. Dean must be willing to take the punishment for an extended period of time, getting in any offense where he can, and hope that he can withstand the beating.
If that happens, then Dean should then mount a fourth quarter comeback the likes of which Brock Lesnar has never seen. Steamrolling Ambrose for the entire match until the last 30 seconds will do nothing for Dean’s reputation. But beating him down until he can suddenly get the upper hand, will do more for Dean than anyone can imagine.
Brock must be dazed. He must be disoriented, and he must be out on his feet. There can be no doubt that Lesnar is in trouble, and there can be no doubt that Dean has gone through hell to get the chance to put him down. The commentary must reflect the surprise and excitement the crowd will be feeling, and the moment must feel as though David is seconds away from slaying Goliath.
Everyone in AT&T Stadium must cheer and scream in unison, understanding that they’re witnessing history happen right in front of them. They must see that Lesnar is about to fall at the feet of a guy that had no chance, a guy that physically should not be able to even match up to him. They must then see that guy take advantage of the moment and get the pin, cementing his status as a main event star.
This is the outcome that Dean Ambrose needs. WWE cannot be carried by John Cena any longer, and it cannot be carried by Roman Reigns alone. The company needs strong top stars to keep going, and to continue evolving for the future. Dean is part of that evolution and his evolution must be realized at WrestleMania 32.
Tom Clark can regularly be found on Sportskeeda. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
