Dean Ambrose leaving WWE shortly after WrestleMania when his contract expires in April

PWTorch editor Wade Keller presents a special Thursday Flagship edition of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast featuring a WrestleMania 36 Preview with ex-WWE Creative Team member and professional stand-up comedian Matt McCarthy.

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Dean Ambrose, a main event wrestler for WWE since debuting with The Shield in 2012, has given his notice to WWE that he will be finishing up when his current contract expires at the end of April, according to three PWTorch sources. He broke the news to management this weekend, including directly in a meeting with Vince McMahon, after being offered a new contract and a raise weeks ago.

He is expected to finish up shortly after WrestleMania, although it’s possible WWE would write him out of storylines sooner. This could explain why he was rather unceremoniously eliminated from the Royal Rumble on Sunday night and did a clean job to Seth Rollins on TV on Raw last night.

Sources tell PWTorch that Ambrose has been long frustrated with the creative direction of his character and reached a breaking point recently. He’s indicated to WWE management this weekend he’s not interested in negotiating further and made it clear this isn’t about trying to get more money. One of his colleagues on the roster, when asked tonight about Dean’s demeanor lately and if there were any signs of discontent, said “he’s pretty much impossible to read.” He added, though, that Dean “hates hokey sh–” and, since so much of his character has been portrayed as hokey in the last few years, he’s not surprised that would have built up frustration leading to a breaking point.

Top management in WWE and a small circle of friends of Dean knew about his decision this weekend, but it wasn’t well known at the Rumble or Raw among most of his colleagues.

NOTE: I have more details to report on this situation on the next Wade Keller Hotline for VIP members tonight. (Subscribe for a VIP membership for just 19 cents with our VIP sale this week – CLICK HERE for details and sign up form). We will also discuss the ramifications the rest of the week on our podcasts.

(Please credit www.pwtorch.com with a link to this story if reporting elsewhere.)

CHECK OUT SUNDAY NIGHT’S PWTORCH DAILYCAST “ROYAL RUMBLE POST-SHOW” with live callers and an on-site correspondent.

In this episode of Wrestling Night in America, PWTorch columnist Greg Parks, with callers and emails, dissects the Royal Rumble event from all angles. Caller subjects include a live perspective from an on-site correspondent, thoughts on Becky Lynch tapping to Asuka, and Lynch’s WrestleMania match. Email topics cover Nia Jax in the men’s Rumble match and the Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano bout from NXT: Takeover.