Dean Ambrose to Jon Moxley: Lunatic Fringes and Paradigm Shifts

Jonathan Goode has been two men in his life: Dean Ambrose and Jon Moxley. One of the brilliant mouthpieces and wildcards of The Shield, he’s since gone on to do things once unimaginable in professional wrestling. Throughout his career, Goode has made developments that have changed careers and the industry on several occasions.

He’s maintained a connection with fans, be it as a folkloric hero of madness or a heel that just wouldn’t stick. Arguably, he could be seen as the polar opposite of Roman Reigns as a babyface. Both heel runs as Ambrose and Moxley later in Goode’s tenures in both places don’t hit as hard as the man fans would rather cheer for.

This is the final installment in my series on The Shield. Previously, I covered the group’s impact, Seth Rollins’s influence, and Roman Reigns’s shaky road. For Goode, however, I’ll have to split his career during his time as Dean Ambrose and his time as Jon Moxley, and the legacy of each.

Introducing Dean Ambrose

Debuting with Reigns and Rollins at the 2012 Survivor Series, Ambrose stood out. Whereas his brothers in arms sported long hair and beards, he had messy, shorter hair.

While Rollins and Reigns spoke swiftly, he carried the gravitas with excellent wordsmithery. He carried the same quiet, eerie cadence that begat a soft voice, yet the threat loomed imminent.

After the breakup, courtesy of Seth Rollins, his look completely changed. He didn’t sport the Shield uniform or a corporately designed outfit by The Authority stable. Instead, he wore leather jackets, white T-shirts, and jeans. This look suited him in the WWE environment.

Ambrose gained a lot of accolades, title reigns (even a WWE Championship!), and high-profile matches. Yet, that wasn’t enough for fans.

They’d chosen their guy in The Shield, and still proclaim that he deserved better. I don’t bring this up as a knock on fans, but to highlight the sheer talent on display with Ambrose.

For Goode, he no longer liked the creative ideas WWE used for Ambrose’s heel run, including the gas mask he’d wear in 2019. He also didn’t like how oversaturated the product was. He had to go back to something simple.

The Return of Jon Moxley

That “simple” turned out to be his moniker before he ever signed with WWE. Before Dean Ambrose, Moxley wrestled for CZW, Heartland Wrestling Association, ROH, and Dragon Gate USA.

Producing video packages declaring his return, Moxley soon debuted for NJPW, taking out Juice Robinson and having a wild run in the G1 Climax tournament. Later in 2019, he’d make that memorable debut for All Elite Wrestling when he took out Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega at that year’s Double or Nothing. Fans erupted.

Once AEW Dynamite debuted on the TNT channel, they were glued as he became an agent of chaos. They followed him with such reverence that it carried him to dethroning Jericho for the AEW World Championship. He carried that belt with such importance through the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that ended some wrestling promotions, but instead strengthened AEW.

Time and time again, he’s stepped up to be the face when the company needed him. CM Punk’s injury and subsequent crash-out at 2022’s All Out are huge examples. Perhaps his heel turn at the expense of Bryan Danielson’s final match would be viewed the same way.

However, it’s proven wildly unpopular, with fan sentiment around Moxley reflecting that of Roman Reigns in the 2010s. While his previous stable, Blackpool Combat Club, was beloved, the Death Riders leave a sour taste in fans’ mouths. Fans still love Moxley, but this act suited ill to their tastes.

A Lunatic with a Paradigm

With a silver tongue and a propensity for chaotic violence, he caught the eyes of many in the industry. There was something raw, brimming with a primal itch that satisfies humanity’s thirst.

A longing for violence and an aesthetic about his cadence and verbiage. Something that held hints of greatness that he still doesn’t fully know the depths of.

And that’s his magic.

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