After seeing Triple H's recent beat down of Roman Reigns... and more people pointing this out as time goes on - shows me how awful Dean Ambrose's worked punches are. They are sometimes embarrassing to watch. This has been a glaring setback for me getting into his character after the shield split - when he turned into this wily brawler. Being that brawlers primary offense is punches... how has someone not told him how bad his look? Stone Cold was known for his "potatoes' but he had to "lay his shit in" for it to look decent on TV. Being that Triple H wrestles like once or twice a year and Dean Ambrose is set to be a main event, unhinged brawler - how hasn't this been addressed?
Dean Ambrose's worked punches
- Thread starter DCLXVI
- Start date
Reflection
is a happier and wiser man
It's pro-wrestling. If we can suspend our disbelief for finishing moves and submissions that don't appear to be practical for use in real life, why not suspend our disbelief for a certain style of punching as well?
Personally, I don't let it bother me too much. I look at it like this- different wrestlers prefer different variations to the basic punch- punch between the eyebrows, uppercut, forearm shot, jabs, open-handed and back-handed chops, and so on. What we see here is the Lunatic Fringe's style. What proportion of his punches actually hit the opponent properly, isn't of any importance to me.
Personally, I don't let it bother me too much. I look at it like this- different wrestlers prefer different variations to the basic punch- punch between the eyebrows, uppercut, forearm shot, jabs, open-handed and back-handed chops, and so on. What we see here is the Lunatic Fringe's style. What proportion of his punches actually hit the opponent properly, isn't of any importance to me.
I wont say that Ambrose punches are any good, but you are comparing him to a 22+ years veteran. Whether you like it or not, HHH its a great performer in the ring, and lot of his arsenal seems very realistic. Go back and check his matches in his early years and you will see that his punches where kind of weak also.
If you need a heel, if you need a solid performer, hhh its one of the first guys you will look at.
If you need a heel, if you need a solid performer, hhh its one of the first guys you will look at.
No Count Pup
Just call on me brother
Ambrose has a weird offensive attack. His punches never bothered me, but his overall flurry of offense outside of his middle rope clothesline is unconvincing. Ambrose needs to develop a signature five moves of doom. Additionally, in his promos he tends to interrupt himself or talk when he should pause. Those gripes must not bother WWE because Ambrose is world title bound. His position in this year's WrestleMania card with Lesnar is telling of where Ambrose is headed.
@smarkmouth
Friendly Neighborhood
The first time I remember him doing those standing mounted punches, I thought it was awesome. It was in the 6 man tag team match against the Wyatts. He looked like a wild animal with no regard for form or function.
I popped the first time I recall seeing the rebound clothesline against Seth Rollins in the lumberjack match. It looked like a kayfabe slip that Dean just went with.
The problem with Dean Ambrose's offense is it's designed to look like he comes to the ring with no game plan, but that illusion is stripped away by going to his routine arsenal every match. I could forgive his sloppy punches and absurd clothesline if they weren't in every matchup. Frankly, I see that as a problem with WWE's style of putting matches together then anything. Those punches and that clothesline do not belong in commonplace. I'd like to see him, and others be allowed to explore their full range in that ring. If WWE did so and Ambrose continued looking sloppy then that would be on him, but while he's only allowed to play with a handful of moves, too high a fraction reads as sloppy.
I popped the first time I recall seeing the rebound clothesline against Seth Rollins in the lumberjack match. It looked like a kayfabe slip that Dean just went with.
The problem with Dean Ambrose's offense is it's designed to look like he comes to the ring with no game plan, but that illusion is stripped away by going to his routine arsenal every match. I could forgive his sloppy punches and absurd clothesline if they weren't in every matchup. Frankly, I see that as a problem with WWE's style of putting matches together then anything. Those punches and that clothesline do not belong in commonplace. I'd like to see him, and others be allowed to explore their full range in that ring. If WWE did so and Ambrose continued looking sloppy then that would be on him, but while he's only allowed to play with a handful of moves, too high a fraction reads as sloppy.
The mounted punches, the rebound clothesline thing, and the diving elbow onto a standing opponent is his move set. The Dirty Deeds usually looks like shit too, I understand he needs a move he can do on anybody but look at CM Punk - he had the GTS and Anaconda Vise (not a CM Punk mark, just saying) and they were similar size and stature. The headlock driver thing he did before looked way more brutal. As a DDT variation it's no Raven's Evenflow/Raven Effect or Jake The Snake DDT. It doesn't look devastating.
Nothing about Ambrose's offense is any good. He's erratic, his signature and finishing moves look like shit, and he can't throw a convincing punch. And people actually believe he is World Champion caliber?
Sorry, I just can't buy in. And I know, it's pro wrestling, and suspend your disbelief and all that happy horseshit, but Lesnar vs. Ambrose is not a good fight, wrestling match, worked shoot, or anything of the sort, in any realm of my imagination.
Sorry, I just can't buy in. And I know, it's pro wrestling, and suspend your disbelief and all that happy horseshit, but Lesnar vs. Ambrose is not a good fight, wrestling match, worked shoot, or anything of the sort, in any realm of my imagination.
I have never seen anyone sell the Dirty Deeds well. Not even when he put a pumpkin on Cesaro's head and DDT'd him on the Halloween special a couple years ago, what an embarrassment. Roman Reigns has way better worked punches than Ambrose... this guy is a face and his only offense against Brock is a low blow.
Sean Valjean
Lets Bitch About This Thing We Love
Eh, I've seen worse. I've also seen better, but Dean's punches have never bothered me enough to notice. I like his typical offensive flurry because it's wild and erratic, which is what his character is.
As far as the rest of his arsenal, he could stand to use a few more impactful moves like suplexes and what not. Though I prefer the original Dirty Deeds (the headlock driver), the current version works well enough. It's also one of the very few finishers the crowd genuinely pops for (like shouting DIRTY DEEDS when he goes for it).
So while his offense could be better, I'm not nearly as bothered by it as the OP seems to be.
As far as the rest of his arsenal, he could stand to use a few more impactful moves like suplexes and what not. Though I prefer the original Dirty Deeds (the headlock driver), the current version works well enough. It's also one of the very few finishers the crowd genuinely pops for (like shouting DIRTY DEEDS when he goes for it).
So while his offense could be better, I'm not nearly as bothered by it as the OP seems to be.
I do like dirty deeds, and i see it as a nod to Mick Foley and his lunatic characters. And the slingshot clothesline (or whatever the fuck it is) always pumped me since i saw Nigel doing it on ROH.
The rest of his moveset (if theres any), its pathetic. I like the guy, but as most here already stated, he doesnt even qualify for the 5 moves of doom Hall of fame.
The rest of his moveset (if theres any), its pathetic. I like the guy, but as most here already stated, he doesnt even qualify for the 5 moves of doom Hall of fame.
Papa Pillman
I've got more Ho's than Jim Duggan
Worked punches in general in WWE need to be cut by about 90%.
I just don't get it. A worked punch looks like shit even when done well and its not a legal move. The few guys who should be allowed to use them should be limited to only a small handful per match. It seems almost every other organization in the world has adapted to using exponentially more forearms than fake punches. That makes sense as worked punches look far shittier than worked forearms(as long as guys aren't afraid to lay them in), plus the forearms are legal moves in the match. Just another positive about all of the established indy and international stars that the WWE signs and features now is that most of them use more forearms than worked punches. Sorry, End Rant.
I just don't get it. A worked punch looks like shit even when done well and its not a legal move. The few guys who should be allowed to use them should be limited to only a small handful per match. It seems almost every other organization in the world has adapted to using exponentially more forearms than fake punches. That makes sense as worked punches look far shittier than worked forearms(as long as guys aren't afraid to lay them in), plus the forearms are legal moves in the match. Just another positive about all of the established indy and international stars that the WWE signs and features now is that most of them use more forearms than worked punches. Sorry, End Rant.
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
Ahhh, business as usual; a wrestler is in the midst of getting a big push that could possibly lead to a main event spot and internet fans are coming out of the woodwork to start hating on the guy. Just about every wrestler over the past 5 or 6 years who gets a main event push seems to get these sorts of threads, so now it's Dean Ambrose's turn; I guess that means he's unofficially officially being seen as a main eventer in WWE. Just a guess, but I'd say we'll have similar threads over the course of this year for Kevin Owens and possibly AJ Styles.
So Dean Ambrose's worked punches don't look real. And???? I can say the same thing about damn near every wrestler in WWE, TNA or ROH, but, again, this is about Ambrose and focusing on his particular shortcomings.
The primary reason why the punches look so fake is because they're supposed to be so that it's highly unlikely that the wrestlers will actually knock the piss out of each other unnecessarily. As has been pointed out by another poster, it's part of the suspension of disbelief that you're supposed to have when watching pro wrestling; if you're unwilling to do that when it comes to the worked punches of a pro wrestler, then I don't see the bother of watching pro wrestling in the first place.
So Dean Ambrose's worked punches don't look real. And???? I can say the same thing about damn near every wrestler in WWE, TNA or ROH, but, again, this is about Ambrose and focusing on his particular shortcomings.
The primary reason why the punches look so fake is because they're supposed to be so that it's highly unlikely that the wrestlers will actually knock the piss out of each other unnecessarily. As has been pointed out by another poster, it's part of the suspension of disbelief that you're supposed to have when watching pro wrestling; if you're unwilling to do that when it comes to the worked punches of a pro wrestler, then I don't see the bother of watching pro wrestling in the first place.I've trained myself not to look closely on punches to keep from being too picky on WWE's brawler style.
The people who do a real good job of it, usually potato people often, and I don't want people getting punched in the face like that just for entertainment value.
Ambrose' arsenal is great in a 1:1 setting, the issue with it, is that we see it every week, which is the issue with almost everyone's arsenal. The Slipup clothesline is probably the worst example of any move, as with things like the 619 or Alberto's double foot stomp from the tree of woelike position, it's hard to suspend belief that people don't see the slipup coming until they get hit in the face, simply because everyone would be expecting it.
The only real answer to stale moves like that, are to just do them less, or on special occasions to make them really out of nowhere. The WWE Product today has to showcase everything everyweek, and it's hard to make things special, Dean's Moveset being over exposed and of course, a little bit shallow is just a factor of that. Dean's over for his mannerisms and reactions, not his moveset.
The people who do a real good job of it, usually potato people often, and I don't want people getting punched in the face like that just for entertainment value.
Ambrose' arsenal is great in a 1:1 setting, the issue with it, is that we see it every week, which is the issue with almost everyone's arsenal. The Slipup clothesline is probably the worst example of any move, as with things like the 619 or Alberto's double foot stomp from the tree of woelike position, it's hard to suspend belief that people don't see the slipup coming until they get hit in the face, simply because everyone would be expecting it.
The only real answer to stale moves like that, are to just do them less, or on special occasions to make them really out of nowhere. The WWE Product today has to showcase everything everyweek, and it's hard to make things special, Dean's Moveset being over exposed and of course, a little bit shallow is just a factor of that. Dean's over for his mannerisms and reactions, not his moveset.
I'm a huge Ambrose guy, but I'll admit that I straight up laugh sometimes when he is throwing punches, especially rapidly so. He really does remind me of Austin in that regard, because I recall Stone Cold always throwing those odd, limp, quasi-open handed strikes which made me laugh even then. But, it doesn't take away from my enjoyment of Ambrose or his matches. It's just something at which I chuckle and let go.
Ahhh, business as usual; a wrestler is in the midst of getting a big push that could possibly lead to a main event spot and internet fans are coming out of the woodwork to start hating on the guy. Just about every wrestler over the past 5 or 6 years who gets a main event push seems to get these sorts of threads, so now it's Dean Ambrose's turn; I guess that means he's unofficially officially being seen as a main eventer in WWE. Just a guess, but I'd say we'll have similar threads over the course of this year for Kevin Owens and possibly AJ Styles.
So Dean Ambrose's worked punches don't look real. And???? I can say the same thing about damn near every wrestler in WWE, TNA or ROH, but, again, this is about Ambrose and focusing on his particular shortcomings.
Everyone is pretty much agreeing his move set sucks - which it does. Wrestling isn't my life but it is a hobby. If you think throwing a semi-believable punch isn't important as a brawler - I don't know what to tell you. It's kind of a fundamental. That is the first thing a casual viewer picks up on being fake - over the body slams, etc. that actually have an impact. Randy Savage had a great working punch and was a well rounded wrestler. Dean Ambrose's has looked stupid for the past couple years - and he's been pushed for the past couple years as a main eventer/upper-tier midcarder so it isn't anything recent. I mean why would Daniel Bryan throwing stiff kicks be any different than laying into your worked punches a little?
Teddy Long said in a recent shoot - the "not using a close fist" used to be a strict rule - refs don't abide by that anymore which is one of the main differences. I agree with using more worked forearms.
Aquaman6686
Mid-Card Championship Winner
All of Dean Ambrose's offense looks terrible. A wrestler is supposed to create the illusion that his maneuvers have impact, and it has to be believable. Dean is one of the worst of all time in that aspect. Everything he does looks 100% fake, and it kills the illusion of wrestling. His rope rebound clothesline is one of the most horrid moves in history and can't be taken seriously, and he uses it about 3 times per match. Ambrose needs to stop with the ridiculous over-acting, cartoonish facial expressions, and dreadful-looking offense, or he's never going to be taken seriously.
You know I find it very interesting that you say all that about Ambrose, yet you think Dolph Ziggler is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I mean I like Dolph, but most of his matches find him either dead outside the ring, or flopping around like a dead fish inside it. The guy is a like a pinball on crack.
Anyway on topic, I love Ambrose and while he can be a little unorthodox...okay sometimes he outright sucks with his windmilling and fists a flying everywhere, I find him one of the most entertaining guys on the roster today. He never fails to entertain me, and that why I watch.
FightOwensFight
Formerly Global Conquest
This entire thread folds in nicely with the one about "Stopping the negativity". Just illustrates that nobody is ever happy, like Jack-Hammer said. Dean isn't being pushed enough? "He is the best thing in WWE. He needs a run with the belt". Dean has a huge spot against Lesnar at WM? "His punches are weak. I never really got into him. His whole offense sucks".
To the question at hand, I agree that his punches leave a bit to be desired, but I have pretty much lost interest in Ambrose a while ago, so this isn't a new opinion. I like his "lunatic" style, but it just comes off as sloppy sometimes, and not "unhinged". As much as the punches lack substance, the rebound closeline is the worst. Half the time it looks like the whole thing is in slow-motion. Granted, it does depend on who he is in the ring with so I won't put it all on Ambrose.
To the question at hand, I agree that his punches leave a bit to be desired, but I have pretty much lost interest in Ambrose a while ago, so this isn't a new opinion. I like his "lunatic" style, but it just comes off as sloppy sometimes, and not "unhinged". As much as the punches lack substance, the rebound closeline is the worst. Half the time it looks like the whole thing is in slow-motion. Granted, it does depend on who he is in the ring with so I won't put it all on Ambrose.
A lot of people are ridiculous. This is WRESTLING. Do you ACTUALLY want Dean Ambrose to drop someone LITERALLY on his head with Dirty Deeds? They're using fake moves, and the Dirty Deeds looks smooth enough to suspend disbelief. A lot of you people complain about stupid shit, and have far too much time to be critical of fake moves that don't look REALISTIC enough. Get over it. Maybe the problem is you just aren't invested enough in the product anymore, and can't suspend disbelief and simply ENJOY watching wrestler anymore. Everyone has to be a critical, watch matches and study every detail like they're professional critics. You're not.
BaconBits
WZ Czar of Steaks
Dean's worked punches are no better or worse than anybody else's. I mean, they're pulled punches, it's never really going to look all that good.
That said, I'd bet his punches look a lot better than usual in his match with Brock. Brock prefers his opponents work stiff. I'm not saying Dean is going to be teeing off on Brock legit, but his worked punches might actually connect and look more real.
That said, I'd bet his punches look a lot better than usual in his match with Brock. Brock prefers his opponents work stiff. I'm not saying Dean is going to be teeing off on Brock legit, but his worked punches might actually connect and look more real.
OYDK
King Of The Ring
I was wondering where this was gonna go. Quite honestly, I've never really been bothered by Dean Ambrose's punches or his offense. For a while now I've heard people comment on the low quality of it, but even when I try to see it, I don't. To me, Dean Ambrose has a set offense just like everybody else, and the moves that are often complained about the most are the ones that generate the loudest pops.
That being said, the upside in Ambrose doesn't lie in his offense. It lies in his ability to sell through both his bumping and facial expressions. He may not be everybody's cup o' tea, but the weekly reactions he gets means people are buying in and I doubt his "weak" punches are going to be the thing that does him in.
That being said, the upside in Ambrose doesn't lie in his offense. It lies in his ability to sell through both his bumping and facial expressions. He may not be everybody's cup o' tea, but the weekly reactions he gets means people are buying in and I doubt his "weak" punches are going to be the thing that does him in.
nwocongo
Getting Noticed By Management
I agree about the rebound clothesline thing, and the run and jump off the 2nd turnbuckle thing reminds me of a hyper 8 year old running all over a grocery store.
I guess it's not so much Ambrose and his style that bother me as much as Cole and Lawler trying to constantly sell the audience on how crazy and unpredictable he is. Lawler always says something to the effect "this guys a lunatic, I don't think he even knows what he's going to do" I'd be more inclined to believe that if he didn't do that clothesline every single match.
whoopin' ass
Championship Contender
But that's just it - it should at least look like it is real. If you are watching a movie with Tom Cruise, you don't want his stunt double to be blonde and 6 foot 6 - it wouldn't make sense and look right. Same here - just because it is wrestling doesn't mean something as basic as a punch should look fake. The suspension of disbelief comes from there being no blood or their face not getting puffy and bruised. That's part of the reason why people laugh at wrestling - why would you watch a show where guys fight but it is clear the punches are not even close to connecting? People complain about actors getting involved in wrestling but why not, they already know how to throw the same punches.
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