Dean Ambrose has decided that he won't re-sign with the WWE when his deal expires following WrestleMania 35, and the company confirmed this in a statement.

It was first reported by Pro Wrestling Sheet that Ambrose was on his way out of WWE, with one unnamed superstar saying that the former WWE Champion grew tired of portraying a "hokey" character.

Barring a change of heart from Ambrose, the WWE is set to lose one of the most influential superstars of the PG Era. With the rise of All Elite Wrestling coming into focus, one has to wonder if Ambrose might end up joining the rival promotion.

So how does SmackDown Live superstar Samoa Joe feel about Ambrose's looming departure? He spoke with Tacoma's The News Tribune and shared his thoughts on the situation.

"Dean’s a fantastic performer and there’s no doubt about it...As far as his departure, I think Dean’s the type of cat that he wants to do things that he’s into and if he’s not into what he’s doing at a certain time then he’ll have no problem stepping away and pursuing other things.

"If that’s the case then cool, more power to him. I think there are so many people who are wrapped up in the needs and wants of wanting to become a WWE superstar that they forget sometimes there other goals they want to achieve...He will be missed."

Ambrose and Samoa Joe didn't work together very often during their respective tenures in WWE. Joe defeated Ambrose in a singles match on the Dec. 11, 2017 episode of Monday Nigh Raw - after choking him out via the Coquina Clutch.

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via WWE.com

Still, Joe got to see plenty of The Lunatic in action when the former was on the Raw brand. He only had nice words to offer for Ambrose here, and it's quite evident that the locker room is going to miss his presence once he officially departs.

Interestingly, Brad Shepard appeared on Oh, You Didn't Know and said the WWE would give it one last go at trying to re-sign Ambrose. So maybe not all hope is lost for fans who are dreading what will surely be an emotional departure.

What This Means

It's going to be a tough time for WWE fans and its superstars when Ambrose (likely) departs following WrestleMania 35. It's also been said that the company is offering major raises to its superstars, not wanting to lose them. It all seems like Ambrose's departure has the WWE concerned about losing more big talents down the road.

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