Dean Ambrose Is Limited as a Top Babyface Under Lunatic Fringe Gimmick

Dean Ambrose is the toast of WWE, but with young stars, that usually lasts for roughly six months.

Ambrose’s current run as a singles babyface is in its fourth month, with no signs of slowing down. With no WWE World Heavyweight Championship match, his match against Seth Rollins at the upcoming Hell in a Cell pay-per-view will share the main-event spotlight alongside mainstays Randy Orton and John Cena.

But Ambrose's fun-to-watch routine, filled with tropes of a mentally unstable renegade, does not have staying power for a top babyface, and Ambrose will need to adapt his character to remain at the top of WWE’s pecking order.

Ambrose’s erratic, yet entertaining promos have drawn comparisons to the likes of Brian Pillman, Roddy Piper and Jake “The Snake” Roberts. All were mavericks who were adept in the art of the dynamic promo. Despite their talents, however, each was a career midcarder

Ambrose’s current feud with The Authority has elicited more best-case-scenario comparisons to Stone Cold Steve Austin. Of course, Austin was a rebel first and a lunatic never.

History dictates the erratic promo guy has a ceiling in WWE, especially if he’s marketed as a lunatic. It’s especially more difficult for the WWE hype machine to get behind a perceived crazy person as its top good guy. The act isn’t broad enough to draw in a sizable casual audience.

As much as more jaded fans love it, WWE’s family-friendly audience will be far more hesitant to allow their children to idolize a wrestler whose first T-shirt reads “unstable.”

Cena had to largely drop his freestyle rapper gimmick when en route to becoming WWE’s top star. If Ambrose wishes to have similar success, he’ll have to either stop being the Lunatic Fringe as a babyface or turn heel.

Either option could vault Ambrose to the top, as he has shown the abilities to captivate an audience through believable brawling and a unique personality. Given how his current character traits skew toward a heel, despite being a fan favorite, Ambrose has more potential as a villain than he does in his current role.

Earlier this month, Raw ended with Ambrose squirting ketchup and mustard on his opposition because, you know, he’s crazy? The character development of WWE’s likable lunatic has already become corny as WWE attempts to balance his unstable characteristics with crowd-pleasing stunts.

That combination often comes off as forced and awkward (see: AJ Lee’s feud with Paige). Crazy is just better when it’s doused in evil.

Whether Ambrose becomes evil or less looney, something’s going to have to give once his six months are up.

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