Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho WWE Payback 2016 Preview and Pick

Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho are heading for a major showdown at WWE Payback. The Lunatic Fringe is stepping up against the cocky and arrogant Y2J, in what many fans believe is a match that could steal the show.

This should be a very competitive match.

Jericho is the veteran here, the man who has built a career on being the egotistical antagonist. He looks down on his competition because he believes he has no real competition. In his world, he is the only one who matters and is the absolute best in the game.

Ambrose is the wily and unpredictable rebel, the man who laughs at danger and dares anyone to challenge him. He does not know when to quit, and he keeps fighting despite how much the odds may be against him. 

Dean mocks Jericho, he laughs at him, and he always seems to be in full control of the situation. He's having fun with this one, and fans are having fun as a result.

In many ways, Ambrose is the babyface version of Jericho.

But these men could not be more different right now. Chris is a man who is very confident in his abilities, a man who has known main event stardom. He's been world champion before, and now he's sharing his wealth of knowledge every time he steps into the ring with a newer talent.

credit: wwe.com

Dean is that newer talent.

Though he's put 12 years into the business so far, Dean is still a guy who's working to establish himself as a main event star in WWE. He represents something fresh and exciting, as he is a big part of the new era the company is spotlighting.

He can, and should, benefit from feuding with Jericho. But this is about much more than just the feud itself. This is about giving the right man the win.

But who is the right man?

Jericho has been built up tremendously since he beat AJ Styles at WrestleMania 32. Fans have been reminded of just how good Jericho is, and he has arguably not looked this good in years. He's no longer just a veteran giving back; he's once again become a real player in WWE.

How does that guy lose now?

But maybe that's why he has been built in the manner that he has. Perhaps all of that was done in order to give Dean a great rub at Payback. It's not to suggest that Chris will lose and his roll will be stopped as a result, but it's more about Ambrose getting a nice win.

Right now, Dean needs it.

Dean's bout with Brock Lesnar at Mania was not exactly a match for the ages. The two men traded punches, kicks and suplexes, so it was perhaps not the instant classic many fans were hoping for. WWE did some nice work promoting the match, as well as strengthening Dean.

But in the end, the outcome was not very surprising. It left Ambrose in lesser shape than he was before the match.

Dean deserves much more than this. He is a unique character, and fans are always entertained when he's on TV. Dean has the potential to be a major draw in WWE, but that will not happen unless the company gets behind him.

If WWE indeed hopes to elevate Dean as a second man to Roman Reigns, then Ambrose must start winning. Wins and losses don't always mean something, but that is not the case for Dean Ambrose. He needs this one at Payback.

Tom Clark can regularly be found on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here