Pros and Cons of Dean Ambrose Defeating AJ Styles at WWE Backlash 2016

Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles at Backlash on Sept. 11 may not have been a dream match for many WWE fans, but it has massive entertainment potential nonetheless. 

On one side, there's The Lunatic Fringe. He's the top guy right now, thanks to both his work in the ring and the championship gold around his waist. He's not the man who some believed would have the belt right now, but he's doing everything he can to bring it every time he steps through the ropes.

Ambrose is earning his stripes as a main event player.

On the other side is The Phenomenal One. He's one of the best talents in the industry and one of the best ever. Fans all over the world have waited for the moment he would make the jump to WWE, and now he is a top attraction in the company.

Styles has never been hotter than he is right now.

Much of that is the result of his recent victory over John Cena at SummerSlam. It was a clean win in a straight up one-on-one match, which means Styles is officially a made man in WWE. He's always had the ability to excel in a spot like this, and now he has the backing of the world's largest pro wrestling company to further his cause.

All of the momentum might be on his side right now.

That is especially true considering Ambrose's bout at SummerSlam was a title defense against Dolph Ziggler, who gave the champ a competitive match. Had Ziggler hit perhaps one or two more moves, he could have pinned Ambrose and become WWE champion. That's the feeling that fans may have taken from this match, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

But for Ambrose, the timing may have been off.

Ziggler was his first real challenger after Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, so The Lunatic Fringe has not had a lot of time to build his championship reign. Of course, if he beats Styles at Backlash, then he absorbs all of Styles' momentum. 

But is that the right move for WWE?

The Pros

Ambrose needs this win.

Despite his popularity, Ambrose has not yet proved himself as WWE's top guy. Being WWE champion is not enough; he must have the swagger that goes along with being the main star. His swagger right now may be comprised more of arrogance than confidence.

It's not that fans don't believe in him, but can WWE say the same?

However, all of that changes with one win over Styles. To beat the man who cleanly pinned Cena is one thing. The fact that man is Styles makes all the difference. Ambrose would immediately gain more credibility, and it would be obvious that WWE had built Styles up, only to get Ambrose over.

Isn't that what should happen for the top titleholder?

Then there's the fact that Ambrose's title reign has not lasted long enough. He has been champion for only two months, which is not enough time to establish him at all. The best way to solidify his spot in the company and on SmackDown Live is to show he is indeed the man to beat.

The more top talents he pins, the more his legend will grow. 

It's not enough to be the best worker of the month, but it also may not be feasible to become the greatest of all time. WWE must find a middle ground here for Ambrose; if not, there is no other reason to give him the title. 

The best way to make that happen is to give him more time with the belt.

Perhaps the best reason to keep Ambrose in the driver's seat right now is his unpredictability. He's just too fun and interesting to lose the championship now. He can go from dead serious to lighthearted at a moment's notice, and WWE has not yet begun to explore what he's capable of in this role.

He's the wild card of WWE, and no one else can do what he does. 

Rollins had his run. Reigns had his chance, and now it's Ambrose's turn. He can be good for business in WWE, but that will not happen if he loses the belt at Backlash. 

The Cons

Is Ambrose's title run really working?

Fans pop for him, and they should. He's a top babyface and has done everything right in terms of getting the crowd on his side. But how much of his positive reaction is due to his character and likability rather than the gold around his waist?

The fact is that he may not be championship material.

He talks a good game and has intensity. Is that enough to warrant a lengthy WWE Championship reign, though? The problem here is that he seems out of place. He has the talent, but does he have the charisma?

When he cuts a promo, do fans remember it long after he's spoken?

When he works a match, do fans talk about it days after the fact? Is Ambrose capable of filling the role he's been given, or is he simply just a fill-in champion? Fans do see a fun level of unpredictability when they look at him, but do they see a world champion?

The Shield was brought in to build three new top guys, but that may not be reason enough to continue with Ambrose right now.

There just seems to be something missing with Ambrose. Maybe it's a heel turn or a managerial presence at ringside. Or maybe it's that he was just not ready to be WWE champion. A guy in his position needs to not only look the part but up his game with each and every opponent.

Could Ambrose actually be that guy, when the belt could go to Styles?

Styles has earned it. He's a marquee star and the best logical choice to become WWE's next top guy. Why else would WWE continue spotlighting him, especially against Cena, if not to give him a major championship run?

That run should begin at Backlash.

Ambrose's reign has just not been all that eventful, and though much of the fault lies with the booking, it's the man in the middle who is perhaps out of place. At some later point, he may be the right man at the right time, but right now that man is perhaps Styles.

The fact is that regardless of which way WWE goes, there are reasons to go in either direction. Fans have to decide for themselves, while it's up to WWE to pin the gold on either man.

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