WWE: 3 Times WWE Missed An Opportunity To Replace Roman Reigns

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Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose is a prime example of being at the right place at the wrong time.  As we know the main event of WrestleMania is usually determined many months to a year in advance.

The issue with that type of booking is the difficulty to predict how a crowd will react to superstars over time, and which superstars will get hot.  Unfortunately for Ambrose, he got hot right around the Royal Rumble in 2016.

Ambrose was in a great match with Kevin Owens early on the card at the Royal Rumble, but his night was not over yet.  Ambrose would pull double duty, and actually be one of the final two participants left standing in the Royal Rumble match.

This year was different as the winner would become the new WWE Champion.  With just Triple H and Ambrose left, the fans got behind Ambrose after recently cheering the elimination of his former brother from The Shield, Reigns.

Yet on that night Triple H would eliminate Ambrose, and win the main event and WWE Championship.  Following the Rumble loss, Ambrose would come up short again at WWE Fastlane 2016, and take the pin following a spear by Reigns.

Still even after two straight pey-per-view main event losses, Ambrose was the most popular full-time performer on the roster.  A match with Triple H and Ambrose was scheduled for Roadblock, which was a WWE Network Special where The Lunatic Fringe would have an opportunity at the WWE Championship and the main event at WrestleMania.

Instead, while still looking strong, Ambrose would lose cleanly to Triple H at Roadblock.  Even after the fans rejected Reigns all throughout the build to WrestleMania and gave a clear alternative, WWE once again decided to stick with their original plan.