.Dean Ambrose debuted in WWE at Survivor Series 2012 as a part of The Shield, who were revealed as mercenaries for then WWE champion CM Punk. The Hounds of Justice left their mark on WWE and then some, becoming one of the companies’ top stables and one of the most influential groups in the sport’s history taking over the industry even over a decade later.

After their split in 2014, Ambrose, to me at least seemed lost in the shuffle. Now, don’t get me wrong Ambrose had his moments within the sports entertainment giant that is the WWE becoming WWE champion, his success within The Shield alongside Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins and headlining major PPV’s with the likes of Brock Lesnar, Triple H and AJ Styles, however, turning him heel then having him call out Roman Reigns with personal remarks regarding the Tribal Chief’s cancer scare, his feud with Chris Jericho over a plant, having him job out to EC3 and Bobby Lashley was the nail in the coffin for me as Dean Ambrose and was a nail in the coffin for Dean Ambrose’s time in WWE. The wacky persona of the Lunatic Fringe just felt a little cringe.

As sad it is to admit, Dean Ambrose, Lunatic Fringe went from future prospect to failed experiment.  

Fast forward to 2019, Double or Nothing. Chris Jericho is begging for a thankyou from the audience when suddenly, like Moses parting the red sea Jon Moxley appears from the crowd and plants Jericho win a Paradigm Shift, before going after Kenny Omega putting him with the massive poker chip prop as the PPV closes.

Alongside his shocking AEW debut Moxley went on excursion to Japan and popped into hardcore deathmatch promotion GCW, where Moxley seemingly revived and revitalised with a reignited love for the sport of professional wrestling. Moxley was reborn.

During his time in New Japan, he had managed to become an IWGP United States champion and assisted Shota Umino when the Young Lion was finding his feet in his native promotion. It was the ever-growing hardcore Indy fed GCW to recharge and refocus his career and his love for the brutal and bloody hardcore style that attributed to bringing Mox to the dance. Moxley captured their championship, becoming the face of GCW for an astonishing 399 days as he battled in deathmatches with the likes of Biff Busick, Matt Cardona and GCW icon Nick Gage.

Outside of his side mission, Moxley’s focus became the AEW World’s Championship as he brought a refreshing sense of violence and destruction to the main roster of the land of All Elite. Moxley’s first title reign was incredible as he entertained Chris Jericho and The Inner Circle, had a rather personal and violent feud with Eddie Kingston as the two beat the seven shades out of one another before earning each other’s respect. It also helped craft the future cast of characters we see in AEW today such as MJF, Darby Allin and Brian Cage.

As CM Punk fell out of favour with upper management, and much like every other industry in the world professional wrestling fell victim to the COVID global pandemic it was up to Moxley to take charge once more to become the heart and soul of the company as well as a locker room leader as the going got tough backstage in the post Punk era.

Moxley took some time away to get sober and become a father with wholesome times ahead for Moxley’s personal life and wrote an autobiography during time a way from the ring. It is fair to say this time away did Mox some absolute wonders and he came back with a new focus and a new energy.  

Moxley returned with an extra edge joining a second stable which would have major career implications for Moxley.

A ruthlessness and adoration for the blood thirsty violent art form that is professional wrestling Danielson and Moxley would bond by blood and join forces under the tutelage of in ring veteran and the personification of a wrestling knowledge tree, William Regal. Regal taught Mox and Danielson how to be forged in Combat, and the new deadly duo would be joined by Claudio Castagnoli who brought the pure strength to the club and Wheeler Yuta soon after, who brings youthful exuberance, menacing ruthlessness, and scrappy technical ability as he turned on his best friends in The Best Friends and Orange Cassidy.   

The Blackpool Combat Club soon became a main attraction piece on weekly editions of AEW Dynamite, waging war with Jericho Appreciation Society in a blood and guts match alongside Eddie Kingston. Even as Regal made his way back into WWE, Blackpool Combat Club had things going for them. Yuta became the ROH PURE Champion, Claudio claimed his brass ring in the Ring of Honor as their world’s champion. Danielson went on a babyface run for a while, going after MJF’s AEW World’s Championship.

The start of 2023 for Moxley began by exercising his demons in new ways such as a 4-match long feud with Hangman Adam Page, the two exceeded the highly anticipated expectations in a this deeply personal feud just as we thought feud was over Danielson came back home.

The Blackpool Combat Club turned heel, ramped up the already bloody nature of their act and made the Elite’s lives living hell in throughout the year culminating in an Anarchy in the arena match, which brought an absurd amount of violence, but fans of The Blackpool Combat Club lapped it up. The feud continues as we write this up with a little bit of speculation that Omega’s best mate, Takeshita could be lining up for a place in the Blackpool Combat Club.

Moxley’s journey in professional wrestling is to be admired, he gives it everything in the squared circle baring his body, scarring his skin, and giving himself 100% to AEW changed my perception of who Jon Moxley/ Dean Ambrose was and who he could be.  I said it before, and I’ll say again, Jon Moxley just fits in AEW in a way Dean Ambrose never could in the PG era, and that’s how Dean Ambrose died a death, and Jon Moxley survived, revived, and thrived.