5 Reasons James Ellsworth Needed to Turn Heel at WWE TLC

With James Ellsworth costing Dean Ambrose the title match at WWE TLC, we looked at why this heel turn needed to happen.

James Ellsworth started out in WWE as just a jobber. He showed up at the post-WWE Draft edition of Raw and jobbed to Braun Strowman, who had his singles push begin. However, a promo about “any man with two hands having a fighting chance” would send this man to superstardom. Unlikely, yes, but in one of the most organic ways you will see in WWE in a long time.

WWE realized that Ellsworth became popular with the fans, so they brought him back multiple times. He eventually became a weekly part of SmackDown, before signing a full-time contract to join the brand in late November. This seemed to solidify a partnership with Dean Ambrose, who he established terrific chemistry with as they looked to go after AJ Styles and the WWE World Championship.

Well, that friendship crumbled at TLC. This saw Ellsworth shockingly push Ambrose off a ladder in the show’s main event. The Lunatic Fringe had been inches away from grabbing the world title, putting it around his waist, and becoming a two-time champion. The Chinless Wonder then stood at ringside, watched, and waved his arms in excitement as he cheered on Styles’ struggling climb up the ladder to retain his belt.

The James Ellsworth heel turn may have been seen coming by some, but it made sense for WWE to pull off. Specifically, though, why was this decision a logical one?