Ambrose = Pillman-lite

[clarencemasonguy]

The lunatic fringe vs The Loose Cannon. No coincidence. The problem is this era's PG. Ambrose is somewhat decent in the ring but just tries way too hard. I think if he cut back on the pseudolunacy he'll be alright. I find it odd that no member of the shield can cut a promo. Reigns is the worst. Rollins sounds like a twelve year old Owen Hart carousing Hot Topic. Ambrose is Pillman-lite. His entrance music is horribly generic. There must be some out there who agree. In real life none of my wrestling buddies even pay much attention to him. He's a midcard afterthought. Was surprised to see the unanimous praise around these parts.

In close, a handsome Mankind would never work. See Cody Rhodes. Ambrose is Pillman-lite.

[Kevin Hamilton]

His music is bad, that's true.

Pretty much everything else you said though is way off. I'll give you Pillman-LIKE, but the characters are as different as they are similar.

And you're just wrong if you're saying that dude can't cut a promo. That's just incorrect.

[Deleted]

Their characters aren't even really similar. They just share that frantic energy that most guys don't have. He's not Pillman-lite at all.

[BigJerichool222]

I'm always curious if any of the countless people who make this comparison have ever SEEN Loose Cannon Brian Pillman, because Pillman's schtick was getting people to say OH MAN HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT and blur the line of kayfabe, and you don't get that with Ambrose. Even in WCW, Pillman's Horsemen gimmick was that he was an annoying hyperactive, whereas Ambrose is more of a calmer lunatic.

[lionheart21]

If anything, Ambrose is like a glimpse as to what Pillman could have been if he did a face run during his Loose Cannon gimmick.

[Dave the Dave]

Let's just cover the blind character charges and say they're both Piper-lite.

[lionheart21]

Sept 22, 2014 13:51:02 GMT -5 BigJerichool222 said:

I'm always curious if any of the countless people who make this comparison have ever SEEN Loose Cannon Brian Pillman, because Pillman's schtick was getting people to say OH MAN HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT and blur the line of kayfabe, and you don't get that with Ambrose. Even in WCW, Pillman's Horsemen gimmick was that he was an annoying hyperactive, whereas Ambrose is more of a calmer lunatic.

You also have to take into mind the fact that Pillman was doing that during the Attitude Era. You put Ambrose in that same situation, he'll come across the same way. If anything, he'll come across as being creepier since Ambrose will seem like he knows exactly what he's doing and that he's in complete control of himself.

[Deleted]

I'm offended by the idea that masked Cody didn't work. That gimmick ruled.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Sept 22, 2014 13:40:40 GMT -5 clarencemasonguy said:

In close, a handsome Mankind would never work. See Cody Rhodes. Ambrose is Pillman-lite.

"Handsome Mankind" is exactly why Ambrose has potential to be a top star

He deviates from the usual Rock/Y2J/DX comedy face mold that WWE tries to shoehorn most of its potential top faces into, while also fitting the prototypical "WWE Superstar look" (code for handsome white guy with a decent physique whom women and gay men are likely to think is "hawt") to a certain degree.

[SEAN CARLESS]

Even if this argument had legs, (which I don't think it does) the fact is WWE as a whole is WWF-lite today presentation and booking wise, so in comparison a Pillman-lite would be superior to most current milquetoast options.

[lionheart21]

I would love it if we got Ambrose to just really cut loose and cut promos like he did back in the indy circuit. Its stuff like this that makes people think of Pillman when they think of Ambrose.

[MrBRulzOK]

Honestly I like his music. I mean sure, it's generic, but that opening riff is pretty great. Definitely gives you the feeling that some crap is going to go down when you hear it.

And Ambrose stands out from the rest of the Shield. He always has. The guy just has a charisma that Rollins doesn't have. Reigns admittedly does have a similar sort of aura himself, but even then Ambrose is much more of a complete package.

[ASYLUMHAUSEN]

[Prince Petty]

I don't see much similarity to Pillman's character, to be honest. Yes, both crazy, but in different ways. So for the comparison to work, you'd have to say that all crazy wrestling characters are like Ambrose, which is just patently untrue.

What Ambrose did at the PPV was nowhere near Pillman's ballpark. That was pure Stone Cold Steve Austin, sans the beer. And it works just as well, despite his lower standing and Rollins' lower standing, because of the animosity between the two of them. Not boss and rebellious employee, but two guys who were brothers and are now bitterest enemies.

His music could be better, and I think they need to tack that opening riff onto a more ambitious theme, similar to how they kept "you think you know me" for Edge, before Metalingus began. I think Ambrose needs a song like that as something extra to latch on to.

[lemonyellowson]

yeah, naw.

I agree he is Pillman like - I would agree Pillman was a better all round in ring performer - but I believe Ambrose has all the tools to be a bigger star than Pillman was.

also, foley was dreamy.

[Mid-Carder]

Dean's music is instantly recognisable, which is always a good thing, even if the tune isn't particularly good. Didn't most people hate Daniel Bryan's at first? Now he can never change it.

Dean was my favourite Shield member from the start and I have high hopes for him. Not high expectations though...

His walking from the taxi to the arena made me laugh. His jeans were clearly far too tight. As further evidenced by his straight-up-and-down jump on Seth.

[Madagascar Fred]

Sept 22, 2014 13:54:43 GMT -5 Dave the Dave said:

Let's just cover the blind character charges and say they're both Piper-lite.

this

Loose Cannon Pillman was never a face character! he was an obnoxious heat-magnet

[One of the Cooler, Candid TOKs]

Ambrose is more like a new-age Piper to me.

[Blindkarevik]

Sept 22, 2014 15:13:48 GMT -5 One of the Cooler, Candid TOKs said:

Ambrose is more like a new-age Piper to me.

I'm in this camp. He has always give off a major Piper-in-his-prime vibe to me. But, he does mix in the "I do what I want and just don't care" of Austin, but he never seems like he's not in control.

But, overall... once the comparisons are over, he's not the new anybody.... he's the first Dean Ambrose. Reason I say that is, you can tell if someone's aping another wrestler... call it a tribute, call it heavy influence, call it whatever you want... but you'll be able to tell if someone is straight up trying to be someone else and it just doesn't feel genuine. Ambrose's character works because it feels organic and natural.... like it takes no effort for him to turn it on, and live within the realm of reason for the character himself. That's why he's so over with the crowd, because they can believe in his character. Same reason why people got so into Daniel Bryan... there have been exciting, incredible workers all throughout history who haven't achieved his level of success, and it's because when you get down to it... Daniel Bryan is being Daniel Bryan. If it's real and it's compelling, the crowd will respond.

[Bub (BLM)]

I don't see much Pillman in him either. He's mostly comprised of Steve Austin, Roddy Piper, and Dallas Page.