Dean Ambrose has enjoyed a fine run over the past five months or so, including a spot in the main event picture feuding with Seth Rollins. The two headlined the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view (PPV) just this past Sun., Oct. 26, 2014, in Dallas, Texas and while that's reason to celebrate and a very real accomplishment for the two, Rollins got the better end of it in more ways than one.
Not only did he win the match, thanks to help from a returning Bray Wyatt, but he's been positioned as the top heel in the company moving forward, outside of WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, whenever he comes back around. Ambrose, meanwhile, is likely moving down the card and is looking at being the number four babyface in the company three months from now.
The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required but recommended) explains the reasoning behind WWE booking Hell in a Cell the way they did and what it means going forward:
They did a lot of special effects in the Ambrose vs. Rollins match, with a hologram, and Bray Wyatt magically (he was hiding under the ring) getting into the cell and costing Ambrose the win. It was a finish that led to the next feud, and I get doing it. I'd have liked to have seen Ambrose win, because he needed the win more. But you can sense that Ambrose is being slotted going forward as No. 4 face (behind Cena, Orton and Roman Reigns) while Rollins is slotted as No. 1 heel (except when Brock Lesnar is around). Rollins is the one earmarked for Orton and Reigns. So while Ambrose "needed" the win more to be elevated to a strong No. 2, he's not slotted at No. 2. Rollins didn't need the win as much, since he has the briefcase, but if he's slotted for Orton and Reigns, those programs are ahead of Ambrose vs. Wyatt.
This doesn't mean Ambrose vs. Wyatt will become an afterthought (we hope), but as Dave Meltzer points out, it's clear who is trending where. For all his talents, and for as nice as this latest run has been, by the time all hands are back on deck -- and that's not even taking Daniel Bryan into account whenever he manages to get healthy -- he likely won't be at the top of the card.
If that's the case, it will be unfortunate. That said, the hope is his feud with Wyatt will still be as entertaining as it has the potential to be, despite positioning on the card.