Dean Ambrose dropped a bombshell early Wednesday with the release of a video confirming the return of his former indie persona, Jon Moxley.
The video, currently sitting at over 2.4 million views on Twitter, went viral instantly (despite the midnight EST release). The name ‘Jon Moxley’ was trending worldwide within an hour, another sign that he struck a nerve with wrestling fans.
However, it wasn’t just a simple post announcing the return of his hardcore persona. There was some obvious symbolism (breaking free from prison) but there was a lot more lurking just beneath the surface.
Inquisitive fans have uncovered what appears to be a myriad of subtle hints and metaphors in the video. If some of these theories are to be believed, then we might have an idea about what the future holds for the former WWE Champion.
Let’s take a look at the symbolism depicted in the Jon Moxley ‘trailer’ video:
Jon Moxley’s Prison Escape
The first part of the video is obviously dedicated towards Dean Ambrose’s escape from a setting which looks be a holding cell. The natural implication is that Moxley is breaking free from the restrictions brought upon him by his former employer. Jon Moxley is now free from the ‘Ambrose Asylum and his hokey character which he reportedly hates so much and led to his departure from the company.
On the flip side, Ambrose received a classy sendoff from WWE. The company went above and beyond to ensure his departure was a smooth one with no hard feelings. He might return one day and his wife is still a prominent fixture of WWE television, so why would he knock the company just minutes after becoming a free agent.
So what’s with the prison break? Another theory is a kayfabe storyline explanation – the Jon Moxley character has been imprisoned all these years and is finally free.
Tributes & Metaphors
While a good part of the video is focused on Moxley’s escape and his return to the indie territory, there are some references that can be seen as tributes.
The most interesting one is the ‘big dog’ chasing him in the ‘yard’ and trying to stop the escapee from returning to the free world.
Then there is a vignette on the wall promoting the Viper Room, a nightclub which is located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
The final piece of trivia fans believe has hidden meaning is Ambrose getting out of his cell by breaking down the wall. Many see it as a homage to a well-known wrestler who was the first to ‘break the walls’ of WWE and one who eventually ended up joining an upstart rival promotion.
Jon Moxley’s Future: Where is he Headed Next?
Perhaps the most interesting and most talked about metaphors of the released video are the ones fans believe are clear hints of when and where the Jon Moxley character will make his first appearance.
The first one comes at the starting seconds of the video where it appears that some hash marks have been stamped in the prison wall.
The marks are not equally visible due to the lighting and if we count the lines of the marks which are in focus then the number you get is 25. There is another mark which has separate focus with a total of 5 lines making it 5/25.
Then there a wall Ambrose wanders by after his escape which features a couple of dice. Generally associated with gambling motifs, the front facing number on the pieces is again a 2 and a 5.
AEW’s first official PPV is set to take place on May 25th. The event’s name has again been taken from a gambling terminology with the promoters promising us to double the fun with Double Or Nothing.
The big question is if all these signs are pointing towards the obvious and can Jon Moxley make his debut for the new promotion at their upcoming PPV?
Conclusion
All of this speculation aside, what do we know for sure? ‘Dean Ambrose’ did not leave WWE so he could take extended time off or embark on an entirely new career. He really was fed up with the confines of the WWE Universe. He’s back back as Jon Moxley and he’s gearing up for a return to pro wrestling. He’s embracing his hardcore roots, which means there’s probably a lot of barbed wire, broken glass and blood in his future. The wrestling landscape is evolving at a staggering pace. Rules are being broken and norms are being upended.
Wherever Jon Moxley pops up next, you can be sure it will be in an environment where he can be true to himself and express his creative vision.
