Interview: Dean Ambrose talks WrestleMania, Baron Corbin and more
On a recent WWE Conference Call, Dean Ambrose discussed all things related to WrestleMania 33 just a few weeks prior to the big event in Orlando.
The Lunatic Fringe is preparing to potentially defend his Intercontinental Championship at the Citrus Bowl, however, nothing has been confirmed as of yet regarding his plans for the showcase of the immortals.
Dean talks about everything from past WrestleMania memories to the rumoured matchup against Baron Corbin.
Question: What can we expect from you at WrestleMania?
Ambrose: Well I mean, you can expect the same thing from me at WrestleMania that you get from me every single night. I always let it all hang out whether I'm wrestling one guy, two guys, four guys or whether a guy is seven foot tall.
I'm not happy unless I'm turning in 100% effort.
Question: Who is the most difficult man you have faced?
Ambrose: I've been in the ring with just about every WWE Superstar there is and everyone brings their different challenges. It doesn't really get any more difficult than a guy like Brock Lesnar, he's like Godzilla. That's a tough challenge.
Question: Do you think Baron Corbin has the ability to push you to the limit and have an amazing feud together?
Ambrose: Nothing is set in stone yet, but if it comes down to that then Baron Corbin is one of those guys who is an up and comer. A year ago he was coming out of NXT so he's a blue chip prospect.
He's starting to get some experience under his belt and pick up some wins, so it's something I can sink my teeth into. It's a new challenge and in this situation, I'm the guy with a little bit more experience which I'd have to use to my advantage.
Question: When WrestleMania comes around, do you get excited or terrified regarding what will happen, after having taken a few nasty bumps in the previous years?
Ambrose: It's the time of year where there's a little bit of extra excitement in the air. There's a different energy when you show up for a show.
On one hand there's all of that, but on the other hand, you could burn out your mental energy if you overthink about it too much. I like to think about things one day at a time because you could wake up tomorrow and this could all be over.
One of the worst things about that ladder spot [Luke Harper at WrestleMania 31] was that I had a giant gash in my head and I didn't even know it. So the doctor runs over and he's like 'oh my god, you're cut really bad' and he kind of thought that I was going to try and get up or whatever, but I was just chilling.
So then he says that we have to staple it which I agreed to, and it hurt a thousand times worse than actually getting powerbombed through the ladder did. That was the most painful part of the match and nobody even saw it.
Question: Is Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton being the main event of WrestleMania going to be vindication for SmackDown over Raw?
Ambrose: If anything, it's a testament to how invested people have been in the storylines on SmackDown since the brand split.
Question: What would be your dream match at WrestleMania?
Ambrose: That's a great question. I would say Bret Hart. Me and him would match up really well - it would be a gritty, technical brawl which would be pretty cool.
Question: You've been a babyface for a while now, what are your thoughts on a heel turn in the future?
Ambrose: I just kinda go out there and be myself. Whatever kind of mood I'm in is the version you're going to get of me that day. I don't really think too much about whether people love me or hate me.
There's a lot I wanna do in my career still, and there's gonna be a whole other chapter in the future.
Question: Is there anyone in the WWE you haven't faced yet that you would like to?
Ambrose: I watch a lot of these guys on SmackDown, and I like watching people like American Alpha. They look good, man - and they're only gonna get better. Who knows, maybe if I get myself a partner for a while I could jump in the ring with those guys.
Question: What are your thoughts of a possible Shield reunion down the line?
Ambrose: You never know. I don't think it's something that anyone is really thinking about right now. You'd have to give me a 'why' before I get into thinking whether it's a good idea or not. I'll go with the classic 'never say never'.
Question: Are you pleased to see Roman and Seth featuring so prominently on Raw?
Ambrose: Oh for sure, man. Those guys will always be my friends and my brothers and The Shield was the thing that changed our lives for the better. We'll always have that connection.
Question: What would you say to people who are going to their first WrestleMania in terms of what they should expect?
Ambrose: There's honestly nothing quite like a live WrestleMania. It's hard to even put into words because the way they take over a football stadium and turn it into this big WWE show is just crazy.
The first one I did was in New York and we were stood in the bleachers waiting to come out, and there was just this unbelievable noise that you could hear even in your brain. It was just people talking quietly in their seats, but that's when it really hit me like 'there are so many people here, holy s***'.
Question: This is the first WrestleMania where you walk in as champion. Is there a different pressure on your shoulders?
Ambrose: I didn't really think about it until you just said it. For me, I've held this title twice now and I take a lot of pride in it when you consider the history of the Intercontinental Championship. All the workhorse guys like Bret Hart and Ricky Steamboat held this title.
Also read: WWE Rumors: Dean Ambrose vs Baron Corbin expected to be a gimmick match at WrestleMania
It's a night to go out there and work your ass off - because that's what I do. It'll be an extra reminder of what I'm going out there to do.
Question: You've reportedly had the most matches on the roster for two years in a row. Do you do anything, in particular, to keep yourself in shape?
Ambrose: Well, first off Mauro Ranallo told me it was three years in a row.
I was trained in a real old school way so I know how to take care of my body really well. I do a s*** tonne of yoga and stretching, and I like to keep my brain right at all times. I found a really good balance in terms of working on my endurance because so many guys get hurt because they're tired.
I might not be injured either, but I'm hurt pretty much every day. It happens.
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