WWE News: WWE Planning Huge IC Title Match For ‘WrestleMania 33,’ Dean Ambrose’s Long-Term IC Title Reign Plans Revealed
WWE officials specifically gave Dean Ambrose the Intercontinental Championship to continue elevating its prestige because they have huge plans for Ambrose’s title reign heading into WrestleMania 33. For the past year, The Miz has carried and had great success as the IC Champion, but WWE felt it was more important for Ambrose to carry the title into the WWE Royal Rumble to keep his momentum going as a top babyface.
It’s been reported that WWE officials are concerned about The Lunatic Fringe’s future as a main event star in WWE because of Dean’s short-lived reign with the WWE Championship on SmackDown. They wanted to ensure that the WWE Universe doesn’t think of Ambrose falling back into the midcard as a demotion. WWE just has specific plans for the WWE title through WrestleMania 33 and Ambrose isn’t a part of those plans.
Heading into the WWE Royal Rumble, both Dean Ambrose and The Miz have announced their entry into the Royal Rumble match during the event. Miz could challenge Ambrose for the IC Championship at the PPV, but it’s likely their feud over the title will continue to be featured on SmackDown for the next couple of weeks. However, WWE officials already have plans set up for the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 33.
According to a report, Dean Ambrose will hold onto the Intercontinental Championship for a lengthy reign, which will also take him through WrestleMania 33 and beyond. WWE officials feel that the IC title can be as prestigious as the champion can make it, so they’re giving The Lunatic Fringe the ball and letting him run. It is being said that whenever WWE reveals the new design of the IC title, Ambrose will be the one to unveil it.
On paper, that means that Ambrose will be keeping the IC Championship from The Miz through the WWE Royal Rumble and likely through the WWE Elimination Chamber PPV. Last year at WrestleMania 32, Dean Ambrose didn’t have the best match with Brock Lesnar, so WWE officials are looking to ensure that doesn’t happen again for WrestleMania 33. Apparently, they’re planning a huge title defense from him at the event.
Originally, it was rumored that WWE officials were planning for Dean Ambrose to enter into a conflict with Shane McMahon and face him on the grandest stage of them all. That match is still a possibility, but it may require Ambrose to turn heel, which is something WWE officials don’t seem prepared to do right now.
Historically, it’s been a few years since we saw a singles match for the IC Championship at WrestleMania. It has been defended in eight-man ladder matches for the past two years. A recent report is claiming that will not be the case this year in Orlando. Instead, WWE officials are going to book Ambrose in a major feud or a Triple Threat match for the IC title at WrestleMania 33. The only question is who his challengers will be.
Because it’s WrestleMania, WWE officials may be planning for a member of the Raw roster to face Ambrose in the same manner as they did at WWE Survivor Series. If that’s the case, predicting his opponent for the grandest stage of them all will be harder. However, there are many interesting possibilities for the match.
A star from NXT could also make the jump to the main roster to challenge Ambrose for the championship, but they’re likely to fail in their attempt since WWE wants Dean Ambrose to keep the Intercontinental title beyond WrestleMania 33. The only thing that is for sure is his opponent will be a heel. No matter who WWE chooses to face Dean Ambrose, it’s expected to be a major feud and may steal the show at WrestleMania 33.
[Featured Image by WWE]
