WWE Confirms Dean Ambrose Will Leave After Contract Expires in April

After rampant speculation about Dean Ambrose's future with WWE, the company has confirmed the former world heavyweight champion won't renew his contract.

Per Bleacher Report's Jeremy Botter, WWE issued an official statement regarding The Lunatic Fringe's status: 

"Dean Ambrose [Jonathan Good] will not be renewing his contract with WWE when it expires in April. We are grateful and appreciative of all that Dean has given to WWE and our fans. We wish him well and hope that one day Dean will return to WWE."

Wade Keller of PWTorch reported on Tuesday that Ambrose told WWE management, including chairman Vince McMahon, at the weekend of his intention to leave the company when his current deal expires.

Keller noted Ambrose "has been long frustrated with the creative direction of his character and reached a breaking point recently."

After a triceps injury that required surgery kept The Lunatic out for nine months, he returned to WWE in August to reunite with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns as The Shield. 

On the same episode of Raw that Reigns announced he had to vacate the WWE universal title after being diagnosed with leukemia, Ambrose turned heel by attacking Rollins after the duo won the tag team titles.

Ambrose has been on WWE's main roster since 2012 when he debuted with Rollins and Reigns at the Survivor Series. The 33-year-old became the second Superstar to win the Money In the Bank briefcase and cash it in for a title on the same pay-per-view, accomplishing the feat in June 2016.