Jonathan Good, currently known as WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose, has been wrestling since 2004. The 30 year old Superstar competed on the independent circuit before being signed by WWE as Jon Moxley. Currently, Dean Ambrose is one of the top faces in WWE, and is perhaps the biggest fan favorite because of his unpredictable, “lunatic” antics.
Good’s career as an independent wrestler saw him compete for several different companies: Evolve, Heartland Wrestling Association, Full Impact Pro, Dragon Gate USA, and Ring of Honor. However, the most notable, or at least unorthodox, independent promotion that saw Jon Moxley was Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW). CZW is known for their death match style of wrestling, which includes an incredible amount of weapons, and is solely focused on violence.
After a seven year run wrestling for independent promotions (2004-2011), it was in 2011 that Dean Ambrose would be the newest addition to the Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) roster (Before WWE implemented NXT as its developmental program, FCW was the developmental territory used.). Ambrose feuded with Seth Rollins for the FCW Heavyweight Championship, but would end up unsuccessful in his title hunt.
What made Ambrose stand out in FCW were two matches with wrestling veterans. Ambrose would challenge CM Punk to a match, which he would end up losing to Punk, but after the match, Punk put over Ambrose by calling him the “next CM Punk.” They both have a lot of similarities, considering both are anti-authority, and don’t look like the typical “WWE guy” like Roman Reigns or John Cena.
After Ambrose battled with CM Punk, he target current NXT General Manager William Regal. Ambrose would lose the first bout against Regal, but was obsessed with getting a rematch so much that he got his wish. Ambrose would end up defeating Regal in their rematch, after which Regal would become the second WWE veteran to put Ambrose over (in a promo).
Following his run in FCW, Ambrose would make an unexpected debut on the WWE main roster along with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins as the group known as The Shield. The Shield, dressed in all black that included assault vests (the attire Roman Reigns still uses today), would focus on ending any “injustices” in WWE. The first injustice, on the night of their debut, was Ryback being part of the WWE Championship triple threat match along with champion CM Punk and John Cena. They would end up performing a triple powerbomb (one powerbomb with three men delivering the move, not to be confused with being powerbombed three times) on Ryback through the announcer’s table.
The Shield would continue to end these injustices, attacking several Superstars over the following weeks, which would lead to their debut match at the 2012 iteration of the TLC Pay-Per-View. The rogue group would take on Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan) and Ryback in a TLC match, where they would be victorious. They would end up winning their WrestleMania debut against Sheamus, Big Show, and Randy Orton, and the team of Team Hell No and The Undertaker later that year. This domination of teams on WWE would continue until the Shield split up when Seth Rollins joined the Authority.
During Ambrose’s time in the Shield, he would end up winning the United States Championship from Kofi Kingston at Extreme Rules 2013. Ambrose would end up holding the United States Championship for almost a year, defeating the likes of Big E and Mark Henry, but would rarely defend the title during his reign, since he was more focused on his team-based storylines with The Shield. Ambrose would become the longest reigning United States Champion with a reign of 351 days, only to be ended by Sheamus in a 20-man battle royal.
Following the breakup of The Shield, Ambrose would end up challenging Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but due to several instances of shenanigans, Ambrose never won the title. After failing to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Ambrose would feud with Bray Wyatt, which ended when Wyatt defeated Ambrose in the first-ever Ambulance Match on Monday Night Raw. Following the feud with Wyatt, Ambrose would fail to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the second time.
Since the WWE World Heavyweight Championship kept failing to fall in Ambrose’s hands, Ambrose would go on to feud with Kevin Owens. Ambrose would eventually win the Intercontinental Championship from Owens, but his reign would end after Owens defeated Ambrose in a five-way match to regain the Intercontinental Championship. After losing the Intercontinental Championship, Ambrose’s last high-profile match was a street fight against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32, where Ambrose would come up short.
Ambrose is a relatively young Superstar, and with his popularity with the WWE Universe combined with unique charisma and in-ring ability, Ambrose has big things in his future.
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