WWE SummerSlam 2014 match card preview: Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins (Lumberjack Match)

Lumberjack Match

Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins

Twenty men surround the ring. Thus, there's no escape for Seth Rollins and nowhere to hide from Dean Ambrose's vicious onslaught. Will Dean leave his former Shield brethren laying or will Seth weasel his way to another cheap victory? Finally, we will get to see these two square off, one on one!

The Road to SummerSlam

June 2nd, 2014 will forever be marked in the annals of WWE history as the black day when Seth Rollins stabbed his Shield comrades in the back by brutally destroying both Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns with a steel chair at the behest of evil mastermind Triple H.

Three pay-per-views later and Ambrose is still looking for revenge, as The Authority have done their utmost to protect the turncoat in reward for his treachery.

At Money In The Bank, Rollins won the briefcase that guarantees him a WWE World Heavyweight Title shot any time he wants it, but only thanks to Kane chokeslamming Ambrose off the top of the ladder and Tombstoning him for good measure in the closing moments of the dangerous spectacle.

It's hard to believe it, but Ambrose got screwed over even worse at Battleground, as Triple H had him thrown out of the building for assaulting his sworn enemy during a pre-match backstage interview segment, which led to Seth having his hand raised in victory via forfeit. Of course, that was the exact moment for Ambrose to storm down the rampway for a heated pull-apart brawl with Rollins, which ended when Ambrose was dragged off again by the road agents. The fight didn't end there, as Ambrose, doing his best impression of the movie monster that won't go down, came out of Rollins' car boot and ferociously attacked him until Rollins managed to get into his vehicle and speed off.

On the July 21st Monday Night Raw, Cesaro, wanting to become a Triple H guy after ditching the constantly distracted Paul Heyman, agreed to attempt to eliminate the Dean Ambrose problem. However, this backfired on The Authority when Ambrose came closer to taking Cesaro out by destroying his shoulder by ramming it into the ring post and clobbering it with a steel chair.

This led to a no-disqualification rematch on Smackdown where Ambrose didn't escape unscathed, despite picking up the victory with a shocking small package after surviving Rollins' pesky interference and Cesaro's deadlift superplex onto a pile of chairs. A flurry of fists and stomps, a Neutraliser and a Curb Stomp later, Ambrose was out cold. Would this teach him the Authority's lesson to just stay down and die?

Of course not! Ambrose was back spitting verbal fire in The Authority's direction on the July 29th Main Event when Alberto Del Rio interrupted, fancying his chances against the wounded warrior. They had a great match together until it was spoiled by Rollins poking his nose in and causing Alberto to be disqualified, which led to a spirited ringside brawl between the two former friends.

The Authority placed another hurdle in Dean Ambrose's way on the Aug. 1st Smackdown - a handicap match against Seth Rollins and Kane. Rollins wanted nothing to do with Ambrose when it was a fair fight, only tagging in when Kane had Ambrose on the ropes and immediately tagging back out as soon as he fired up again. Eventually Ambrose got so fed up that he got a chair and lamped both his opponents with it to lose by disqualification. Unfortunately for Dean, Seth escaped up the aisle whilst he was planting Kane with a DDT on the chair.

Triple H announced on the Aug. 4th Raw that Dean Ambrose would finally face off against Seth Rollins in a singles match at SummerSlam which fans could watch by signing up to the WWE Network for only $9.99 a month and that there would be a Beat The Clock challenge where the winner could determine the bout's stipulation.

All seemed lost when Ambrose took 15:42 to pin Alberto Del Rio with the Dirty Deeds due to the Mexican shooter targeting his bum shoulder. Even more so when The Authority changed Rollins' opponent at the last minute from the difficult to beat Rob Van Dam to jabroni Heath Slater. But Ambrose didn't give up without a fight, instead doing everything he could think of to distract Rollins at ringside, like tearing up Rollins' Money in the Bank contract, pouring soda into his briefcase and throwing popcorn and JBL's hat into it. The plan worked as eventually Slater rolled Rollins up from behind for the big upset win.

On the Aug. 8th Smackdown, Ambrose chose the lumberjack stipulation to ensure that Rollins can't escape again from the beating of a lifetime, whilst Rollins chose Ambrose's opponent for the night, The Authority's pet viper Randy Orton. Ambrose looked to have the match won when he hit the Dirty Deeds on Orton, but Rollins dragged Ambrose out of the ring and started pounding away on him, giving Ambrose another DQ win. Cue another wild brawl between the two until Orton snuck in, decapitated Ambrose with a clothesline and smashed him with the RKO. Rollins then beat him down further, poured soda all over him and flattened him with the Curb Stomp to gain revenge for Monday's humiliating defeat.

On this Monday's Raw, Seth Rollins convincingly beat RVD with the Curb Stomp, before noticing a rather large life-size present for Hulk Hogan's birthday and he instantly became spooked that Dean Ambrose might be in it. As soon as his panic passed, Ambrose emerges from the package and got a few good shots on him before Rollins escaped through the crowd.

On the final show before SummerSlam, Ambrose had to come back from behind to beat one of Rollins' lumberjacks at the pay-per-view, Cesaro, with the Dirty Deeds, before Seth came out to call Dean a bi-polar piece of trash and beat him over the head with the fact that he never really cared about him, which caused Dean to mentally crack up in front of our very eyes.

What's at Stake?

There are no shiny belts on the line here. Nor is Seth's Money in the Bank briefcase and contract. Such trinkets are unimportant compared to the personal issues that will be fought over here.

It's the oldest story in the book. An angry and jealous ingrate betrays his loyal friend, who was like a brother to him, for a few coins of silver. Dean Ambrose is fully justified in seeking revenge and we fans want to see him kick the ass of that greedy Benedict Arnold, Seth Rollins, who continues to curry favour with the autocratic and nepotistic Authority.

Thankfully, the lumberjacks should ensure that Rollins can't escape this time and he will thus have to take his medicine on Sunday night for his sins.

But if he can find a way to weasel his way to another cheap victory, one wonders if Ambrose's fragile psyche can take another devastating blow like that.

Win, lose or draw, I can't see this being the last chapter in this feud of biblical proportions.

Find out if the personification of good or evil wins at SummerSlam on the WWE Network for only $9.99 or right here on Cageside Seats FOR FREE!