Dean Ambrose Should Be Booked as More Than a Part-Time Foe for Seth Rollins

Dean Ambrose is getting another shot at championship glory when he faces off against Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight title at the Elimination Chamber event. The Lunatic Fringe is one pinfall away from winning the biggest prize in the industry and all he has to do is beat his former best friend to make it happen.

But despite how good Ambrose looks right now, the fact is it can't stop here. Win or lose, he must come out of this feud more impressive than when he went in. He cannot just be a part-time foe for Rollins.

Much of the issue with Ambrose comes from this very point. He looks like a star when working Rollins and is booked as such. He emerges as a threat to The Authority, a loose cannon that must be contained and Triple H does everything he can to stop him.

Ambrose gets the full backing of the crowd that sees how dangerous he can be and they want more of him because of it. Rollins runs scared because he knows how unpredictable Ambrose is and knows his title could be slipping away.

Ambrose looks like a man on a mission, the Stone Cold of his generation. Everything is working in his favor and he is on his way to being a full-time main event star.

But as soon as he moves on from Rollins to another feud, he seems to slow down. Suddenly, his unpredictability makes him less intriguing and more confusing. He has no clear endpoint in mind, only sporadic moments of chaos among matches he inevitably loses. Ambrose goes from being a main event threat to being a mid-level hopeful.

He essentially loses steam and becomes a man with no direction.

But that needs to change. Ambrose has all the tools necessary to succeed in WWE. He's very good in the ring, he's entertaining on the mic and he has a special gimmick that only a handful of guys have been able to get over with through the years.

That gimmick is working with fans that are connecting with him every time he's put in front of them. Like Steve Austin, Ambrose is building a bond with the crowd that is getting stronger by the moment. One look in his eyes tells the story, as Ambrose is just out to have fun yet he's taking it seriously at the same time.

Ambrose looks like a regular guy that stepped out of the crowd and made a career in the ring. Therein lies another important connection he has with fans; he's real and they can see it.

He doesn't brag about being the best, he makes no excuses when he loses and it seems as though he's always fighting for his life instead of fighting for a championship. Fans respond to that and feel he's more genuine than others because if he's one of them, then he ostensibly fights for them.

There's also the fact that Ambrose is marketable, which means everything to a company like WWE, which thrives on the potential of its stars to cross-over. Ambrose has untapped star power that can be best utilized if he's much stronger than he is right now.

When fans look at Ambrose, they need to believe he's a future legend in the making and the only way to do that is to keep presenting him in a positive light, as a guy that's on the way up. That is a definite reality when he's fighting against Rollins and The Authority but when he's facing someone else; he just appears to be a guy fighting to find his way.

So assuming he does not beat Rollins at the Elimination Chamber, then Ambrose needs something big and important to pursue when it's over. Facing John Cena for the United States title, or chasing the Intercontinental Championship could be in the cards for him.

Continuing against The Authority may be an option, which means he could be in a feud with Kane. Or perhaps just a good old fashioned winning streak is in order. The fact is, Ambrose has too much to offer and can handle everything the company wants from him. He should be utilized to his full potential and it must happen not only when he's feuding with Rollins but every time he's on TV.

His history with Rollins is well known and will always be there. WWE can go back to it any time the need arises and it will surely always be a moneymaking proposition for them. But Ambrose's career apart from Rollins must be built, his run strengthened, if he is to be the breakout star his former partner is.

Ambrose needs better booking away from Rollins and he deserves it. Helping Rollins along the way is fine but at some point, Ambrose must help himself. The Lunatic Fringe is on the cusp of greatness in WWE and he needs a real opportunity to make it happen.