I think the interactions with hardcore legends certainly represent something of a rub in WWE’s book. Regardless of how we might feel they’ve treated Dean, this is a guy they’ve booked in two main event ‘PPV’ matches, one of them for the world title, and then gone on to put across the ring from Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. As someone else put in on a forum I frequent, Dean Ambrose has basically become something of the face Bray Wyatt in terms of being a guy they trust to work with big names but who ultimately isn’t supposed to win in the end. That’s a good spot in the bookers’ eyes even if it’s unsatisfying for his fans.
I’d say we’ll have to watch tonight’s Raw to get a real idea if Dean is going to get anything more out of this angle, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this just ends up as his equivalent of Bray Wyatt’s feud with the Undertaker.